Christopher Rural Health Planning

The Christopher Rural Health Planning Corporation developed its first primary care site in Christopher, Illinois in 1979. Several Community Health Center sites are located in the counties of Clay, Franklin, Edwards, Gallatin, Hamilton, Jefferson, Perry, Saline, Wayne, White, and Williamson in the southern portion of the State of Illinois. The service area has a population of hundreds of thousand and the Corporations target population is less than a hundred thousand. Patients whose incomes are not sufficient to provide their families with medical and dental insurance can participate in the Corporations Sliding Fee Programs for discounts in medical and dental care. Additionally, patients of the Corporation are eligible to participate in the 340b pharmacy program and those who are eligible participate in the Pfizer, Merck, and Astra Zenica indigent drug program. An in-house pharmacy is located in the Christopher site with pharmacy orders for the off-sites processed and delivered by courier on a daily schedule. The Corporations clinical sites provide comprehensive primary health care to include health maintenance and prevention, acute/episodic care, and case management of chronic health conditions to all life cycles. Nutritional, obstetrical and gynecological care, preventive and restorative dental services are also provided. Specialty care and outreach services are coordinated with other entities for education and screening for various health related issues. Comprehensive primary care services are addressed by patients participation in the Illinois Health Connect Program and the Primary Care Case Management Program. The Corporation is enrolled in the NCQA Patient Centered Medical Home endeavor.