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Located on South Main Street, the Hubert H. Humphrey Comprehensive Health Center (HHHCHC) offers a variety of no-cost or discounted medical services to low-income or uninsured Angelenos. Operating under the motto “Provide Quality Health Care in a Culturally Sensitive Manner,” the HHHCHC serves an ethnically and generationally diverse sector of the Central Los Angeles population, catering to Asian, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, Indian, black and white residents ages.
Certified as a “free-standing ambulatory care facility”, the 3.5 acre facility holds 86 patient rooms, in addition to office and clinical spaces. The center employs a staff of 361, including 75 medical doctors.
Name of clinic/provider: Hubert H. Humphrey Comprehensive Health Center
Address: (Main Street & Slauson)
Hours of Operation/Contact:
Clinics-8am-5pm, Monday through Friday
Family Planning Clinic- 8am-5pm, Monday through Thursday
7:30am-8pm, Friday
8:30am- 5pm, Saturday
How long have they been in the area:
34 years.
The center has been a community fixture since April 26th, 1976 and was named in the honor of former U.S. Vice President, Hubert Horatio Humphrey, in 1977.
Clinics:
Adult, Dental, Family Medicine, Pediatric, Women's Health.
Specialty Clinics (available by special referrals only): Ophthalmology, Geriatrics, Podiatry, Physical Therapy
Translation services?
Yes. HHHCHC provides on-site interpreters as well as access to telephone translators for the 9 main languages spoken in the Vernon Central area. This includes Spanish.
Transportation Services:
Yes. Patients can call 2 days prior to an appointment to arrange a free ride to the clinic.
Insurance accepted:
Yes.
The HHHCHC provides a Community Health Plan with 4 types of coverage geared toward uninsured or low-income patients:
• Medi-Cal Managed Care Program: This program is no cost for eligible adults such as pregnant women, seniors, disabled patients and children.
• Healthy Families Program: This program covers children from their 1st to 19th birthdays for a monthly premium of $4.00 per child. No other health plan in the county offers this discount.
• In-Home Supportive Services Program: This program provides coverage through the Personal Assistance Services Council (PASC). Home-care workers are charged only $1 per month. This is the only such program in Los Angeles.
• Healthy Way LA: This program is no-cost for low-income, uninsured adults. Those that qualify have access to a 24 hour Nurse Advice Telephone line.
The HHHCHC does not accept any other commercial health plans.
Federally Qualified:
No. While the center is not federally certified, it has achieved “deemed” status from the Joint Commission every year since its opening. This form of accreditation allows the center to receive payment Medicare and Medicaid programs without being subject to Medicare or Medicaid certification procedures. The facility is state-approved and receives financial support from L.A. County.
Preventative services:
Yes. Diabetes Management, Family Planning, HIV/AIDS (Early Intervention Clinic), Immunization, Radiology/Mammography, Tuberculosis Treatment.
Emergency Services:
Yes.
Urgent Care is open from 8am-12am, 7 days a week.
Additional Services:
Laboratory, Pharmacy, Public Health (communicable diseases), Environmental Health Services (rodent control, housing and restaurant inspections), Social Services.
The HHHCHC also offers a Volunteer Program for students, doctors or community members interested in helping the hospital. Interested participants must go through the same application and training process as health center employees. Once accepted, volunteers have the opportunity to assist with record keeping or shadow doctors and nurses.
Challenges:
Dr. Lakshmi Makam, Medical Director for the HHHCHC, discusses some of the greatest challenges of serving the South Los Angeles area.
40 percent of the population in this area does not have access to a regular source of healthcare.
According to the Los Angeles County of Public Health, the area served by the HHHCHC included more than 15,000 homeless people in 2001.
Of the homeless people living in this zone:
• 46 percent were diagnosed with addiction related to substance abuse
• 5 percent suffered from mental illnesses
• 13 percent were diagnosed with both substance abuse and mental illness problems
• 3 percent were diagnosed with HIV/AIDS
• 14 percent were domestic violence victims
50 percent or more people in this area had to wait a month or more to see a specialist.
Accomplishments:
As part of a County beautification project, the HHHCHC has made many external improvements in 2010, renovating the building exterior, entryways and lobbies on the first and second floors, the cafeteria, all hospital restrooms and parking areas, sidewalks and surrounding lighting.
The HHHCHC has also added or started to add many new services and resources, including:
• A fully-staffed appointment scheduling center
• A mobile van that offers glucose, cholesterol and hypertension testing as well as immunizations
• Medical record coders at clinics
• Retinal photo clinic
• Diabetes education classes
The center also added 6 full-time staff members and one part-time optometrist.
