Hill Health Center News Release

For immediate release February 5, 2003

Information: Robert Kilpatrick

503-3276 (w)

245-4533 (h)

rkilpatrick@hillhealthcenter.com

www.hillhealthcenter.com

Eye Clinic Opened

Hill Health Center (HHC) has re-opened its eye clinic thanks to a $50,000 grant from the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven and the cooperation of the Ophthalmology Department of the Yale School of Medicine.

· The Community Foundation funds will be used to purchase equipment to outfit two ophthalmology exam rooms within the main clinic at 428 Columbus Avenue, New Haven.

· The Ophthalmology Department of the Yale School of Medicine is providing
residents to help staff it.

The HHC Eye Clinic will make ophthalmology services more accessible to its patients, as well as patients of the Fair Haven Community Health Center. "It has been HHC's experience that when our patients are referred for ophthalmology services to Yale-New Haven Hospital, they frequently do not follow through on appointments or otherwise receive the services due to a combination of barriers such as language and financial," said Cornell Scott, HHC chief executive officer.

Any of the 40,000-plus HHC and Fair Haven patients needing specialist eye care could potentially benefit from this project

Historically, there had been an eye clinic at HHC up until 10 years ago. Dr. Bruce Shields, the new chairman of the Medical School's Ophthalmology Department, supported restoring an earlier arrangement by which a Yale resident sees HHC patients at the Hill clinic.

"Many of our patients do not keep their appointments at Yale, and actually have a better comfort level with us, and come here regularly for their appointments," Gary Spinner, HHC chief operating officer, said. "Thus, we recognize that being scheduled to be seen here should increase the compliance rate of appointments kept."

With over 1,000 diabetics being followed at HHC, diabetic eye care will be a big part of the service. This consists of screening patients with diabetes for signs of retinal disease related to diabetes.

As of January 1, services by optometrists ceased to be covered by SAGA (State Administered General Assistance). Many HHC patients have heretofore used optometry services for evaluation of their eyes. Since ophthalmology services will still be covered, SAGA clients can use HHC services for evaluation of eye problems as well as for general diabetic eye care, which may have previously been cared for by optometrists.

Since 1928, donors to The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven have built a permanent endowment currently valued at approximately $210 million. In 2002, the Foundation Board of Directors distributed $10 million from over 500 different named funds supporting grants in the areas of health, education, neighborhood building, regional and economic development, arts and culture, and other vital areas. For more information about The Community Foundation go to www.cfgnh.org.

Eye Clinic Now Open

Rhonda Westbrook (above), community health worker, poses with new ophthalmology equipment purchased for the Eye Clinic at 428 Columbus Ave. Appointments may be made by calling 503-3000. The Eye Clinic was reopened thanks to the cooperation of the Yale Opthalmology Department and a gift from the Community Foundation. The Eye Clinic is located where the Billing Department formerly was. Billing relocated to the Dixwell Avenue site. Having the Eye Clinic here makes it much more convenient for patients who are referred for ophthalmology services.