2008 Year in Review

Foster visits Whiteside County Community Health Clinic

Beth Fiorini and U.S. Congressman Bill Foster

U.S. Congressman Bill Foster took his first tour of Whiteside County Community Health Center recently and seemed impressed.

“Government doing some good here,” said Foster, D-Geneva. Foster spent an hour at the Clinic on June 7, speaking with local leaders and learning about Whiteside County’s health care before leaving for a quick lunch and talk at a local supermarket.

“We are probably one of the neediest counties that you have,” Beth Fiorini, executive director of Whiteside County Community Health Clinic, told Foster.

"Since the Clinic opened May 1, 2006, there have been 40,161 total visits, including of which there have been 18,129 medical, 18,623 dental and 3,340 mental health visits," Fiorini said.

There has been an unduplicated count of 13,658 patients who have had one or more of the three services. Of these patients, 50 percent (6,870) are on Medicaid.

“That is something I did not appreciate,” Foster said. Before leaving, Foster toured the new portion of the Clinic currently under construction. The 12-exam room addition will be completed and open by this October.

The $1 million project is being paid for in part by a $303,000 federal earmark grant from U.S. Congressman Phil Hare, D-Rock Island.

“With Phil’s ability to get additional money for this, it is great to have two representatives involved,” Foster said.

by  Editor, theCity1.com
June 12, 2008