By Marcia Clark
October 19, 2007
After reading an article in the paper about the opening of Open Door Family Medical Center’s newest offices in Mount Kisco, Elinor Griffith, a member of the Chappaqua Interfaith Council, was intrigued.
“We make an effort to learn as much as we can about the non-profit organizations in our community and the new Open Door in Mount Kisco sounded like a place we should definitely see,” explains Griffith.
A delegation from the Chappaqua Interfaith Council met with Open Door’s chief medical officer, Dr. Daren Wu, and the organization’s director of development Desta Lakew. “The tour was an impressive introduction to an organization that is serving an important need in our community,” states Tom Lenhart, head of the First Congregational Church of Chappaqua. Mr. Lenhart’s daughter has done part of her medical residency at a community health center in another state, so he had an idea of what to expect. However, he admits, “I was struck by the commitment and compassion that was shown for the medically underserved by the people we met at Open Door. I was equally taken with the efficiency and professionalism and the quality of the medical services that are provided. It just jumped out at me that this is a very high quality health center and practice and is every bit and more of what I was expecting.”
Federal funding anomaly
Over 3,000 patients annually receive their medical care at Open Door - Mt. Kisco.
The first floor exam rooms and waiting room are bustling and full every day. As a federally qualified community health center, Open Door Family Medical Center receives federal funding, which they distribute among their four centers in Ossining, Port Chester, Sleepy Hollow and Mt. Kisco. Every center must, however, find additional funds to meet its annual costs. The other three centers in the Open Door family qualify for additional federal funds because of the communities in which they are located. However, the Mount Kisco center is located in an affluent community, which would not qualify for additional federal funds, but which happens to contain a population of low-income or poverty level families in need of low cost medical care. As a result, the Mt. Kisco center relies heavily on private funding to satisfy the substantial gap between its costs and its allotment of federal funds.
Once this funding gap was explained, it met with an immediate response from the members of the Chappaqua Interfaith Council. Says council member Candace Downing of the Baha’i Faith, “When [we] toured Open Door-Mount Kisco, it came as a shock to discover that several of their exam rooms are completely empty as they have not yet been able to raise the funds to buy the necessary equipment. As a result, they are not able to adequately serve their target population in our area. We consider this to be an extremely urgent matter and have committed to supporting the efforts of Open Door to raise the funds necessary to fulfill their mission.”
“Opening the Door-Mt. Kisco”
The Chappaqua Interfaith Council has committed to raising needed funds to fully furnish one exam room at an estimated cost of $15,400. Information about contributing to “OPENING THE DOOR – MT. KISCO” can be found at http://www.opendoormedical.org/donate.php
In addition, Open Door – Mt. Kisco hopes to be able to fill their currently empty second floor with dental offices and other services in the near future. While Open Door provides full services including dental and optometry at two of its other centers (Ossining and Port Chester), patients from Mount Kisco must travel to one of those sites for those specialties. Additional funds will need to be raised to fulfill this need.
“We are so grateful to the members of the Chappaqua Interfaith Council and the congregations who support the council,” said Lindsay Farrell, president & CEO of Open Door. “Their clear understanding of our mission and incredible outpouring of support proves, once again, that neighbors helping neighbors is what truly builds strong and healthy communities.”
Open Door at a glance
* 3,000+ patients are served annually at Open Door - Mt. Kisco
* 44% of Open Door patients do not have insurance
* Over 74% of the patients live at or below the federal poverty level
* 65% of patients are Latino, 21% Caucasian, 10% African American
* 60% of Open Door patients are children
* Open Door has offices in Ossining, Mount Kisco, Sleepy Hollow and Port Chester and operates three School Based Health Centers in Port Chester
Marcia Clark is a public relations consultant for Open Door Family Medical Center.
Copyright 2008 NewCastleNOW.org