BIDMC's Community Health Centers
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center believes that community health centers (CHC) are in a unique position to provide accessible primary care and specialty services to medically underserved diverse inner city and rural communities.
One of the most successful "demonstration projects" of President Lyndon
Johnson's War on Poverty, the community health center movement began in
Boston in 1965. Beth Israel Deaconess was involved in community health from
the earliest days, helping in 1969 to lead the conversion of Roxbury's New
England Hospital for Women and Children into the Dimock Community Health
Center. Our strong commitment and support of CHCs continues today as health
centers are a vibrant and critical part of BIDMC's care delivery system.
Six community health centers are affiliated with BIDMC, collectively providing care to 90,000 patients throughout Greater Boston and Cape Cod. In 1997, BIDMC was instrumental in helping these centers form the Community Care Alliance (CCA) . By collaborating on clinical and administrative issues, CCA facilitates its members' delivery of high quality, cost-effective care by collectively contracting for services and funds, as well as sharing resources and expertise for the benefit of patients and communities.
