Whittier Street Health Center – Overview
Whittier Street Health Center is a comprehensive and innovative health care and wellness center championing equitable access to high quality, cost-effective health care for diverse populations. We offer a comprehensive array of primary care services and free social and wellness programs to educate and empower patients and community residents and to promote lifelong health and wellness in the diverse populations served. Whittier is a Joint Commission accredited health care organization and recognized by the NCQA as a Patient-Centered Medical Home. Whittier’s cultural competence earned its designation as one of only ten refugee health assessment sites contracted by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. WSHC offers chronic disease management, strategies to address health disparities such as comprehensive screening programs,
We provide the following primary care services: Adult and Family Medicine, Pediatrics, OB/GYN, Dental/Orthodontics, Laboratory, Health Benefits, Orthopedic, Radiology, Urgent Care, and WIC.
Our public health programs include: Arts in Healthcare; Building Vibrant Communities in Public Housing; Cancer Survivorship Clinic; Cardiovascular Community Health Ambassador Program; CenteringPregnancy and CenteringParenting; Dana-Farber Community Cancer Center; Diabetes and Chronic Disease Management Clinics; Domestic Violence Counseling; Geriatric Clinic; Men's Health Program; Post-Prison Release Program; Project ME HIV/AIDS Drop-In Center; Hepatitis C and STD Prevention and Management; Youth Violence Prevention Programs; Whittier Youth Services and Enrichment; Refugee Health Assessment; and 340B Pharmacy (discounted medications). We also have partnerships with public schools for counseling and mentoring services.
Whittier Street Health Center opened as a well-baby clinic in 1933. In 2012, the health center significantly expanded access to high quality care for those in need by opening a newly constructed, 78,900-square foot, Silver LEED-certified health facility. The new building can serve 80,000 patients with up to 220,000 visits annually.
In addition to primary care and improved handicap access, the new facility provides a Community Education Room for community events and educational sessions; an Urgent Care Clinic to decrease avoidable ER and hospital visits; an affordable eye care dispensary; expanded Oral Health Services to meet increasing demand; an onsite pharmacy with discounted medications; and specialized clinics to address wellness and the chronic diseases prevalent in the patient population.
Whittier currently serves nearly 30,000 people annually through its clinical services and public health initiatives at the health center and in schools and other locations. In Fiscal Year 2016, Whittier provided community outreach and health education to more than 20,000 residents in Boston. Whittier’s service area is defined by a high degree of poverty, chronic illness and high risk factors for health issues. The poor health status in the service area is a reflection of the many social, economic, cultural and environmental challenges faced by residents. The area’s specific indicators of ill health tend to be chronic in nature: diabetes, asthma and cardiovascular disease as well as unhealthy lifestyles leading to poor health and a prevalence of chronic diseases and attendant complications, as well as high levels of depression, substance abuse and other behavioral health problems. We anticipate that the residents of the service area that would come to us as patients are low-income people of color and recently arrived immigrants with poor access to health care.
Whittier has a vision to serve as the premier leader in urban health care to diverse populations by providing innovative services to improve the health of the communities served and ensuring that that every resident has access to health care regardless of their ability to pay. WSHC offers primary medical care and oral, eye and behavioral health care, all on-site.
In June 2015, Whittier opened its Wellness Institute which includes a full service wellness and fitness club and a community garden to address the high rates of obesity and chronic illnesses in its target area. Patients are referred through Whittier’s Prescription For Health program by the physician, nurse practitioner, psychiatrist and other service provider and are supported by case managers and a health coach to meet their self-management. Information about patient’s programs are transmitted via Whittier’s electronic medical records and the Wellness Institute and Medical and Behavioral Health providers work in partnership with patients and community residents to change lifestyles and behaviors.
The goal of Whittier is to create a culture of health and wellness in the communities served. Our locations are 1290 Tremont St., our recently built 6-story, 78,900 square foot building and our new site, Whittier Clinic at 278-292 Blue Hill Ave, Roxbury, due to open in January 2017 to provide primary care, behavioral health and urgent care services.
