Community-based collaborations

Aurora Health Care is a member of the Milwaukee County Primary Care Initiative, a multi-faceted group comprised of area health care systems, community clinics and the City of Milwaukee Health Department.

The Initiative has developed a comprehensive plan to increase access to primary health care services to underserved individuals and families in the Milwaukee area – a key, cost-effective strategy in the resolution of our area’s near-crisis of care for the underserved. One of the significant roles for health care systems outlined by the Initiative is the provision of capital, operating and in-kind support to federally qualified community health centers.

Largest expansion of primary care in 2 decades

In 2006, Aurora has led the way among health care systems in this community by partnering with the City of Milwaukee Health Department and community health centers to begin the largest expansion of primary care in the city in 2 decades.

Expanding primary care in underserved areas reduces costs, as people are encouraged to seek the right kind of care in the right place – in doctor’s offices or clinics rather than in hospital emergency rooms. It is also more effective from a care management perspective. Primary care physicians know a patient’s health history and can better manage both acute and chronic conditions and diseases.

These primary care partnerships include these initiatives:

• Sixteenth Street Community Health Center – Milwaukee. Provides primary and specialty services to Medicare, Medicaid, GAMP and uninsured individuals. Aurora Health Care recently provided $1 million in capital support to help Sixteenth Street acquire a 2nd facility on 20th St. and Cleveland Ave. on the near south side. In addition, we committed an additional $1 million over five years in operational support to help ensure that this new facility is financially stable in its early years of operation. Read our partnership story.
   
• Milwaukee Health Services, Inc. (MHSI) – Milwaukee. Provides primary care to Medicare, Medicaid, GAMP and uninsured individuals. In early 2006, Aurora negotiated a below-market value sale to MHSI to help it acquire an Aurora clinic on 82nd St. and Silver Spring Dr.. The clinic plans to support 10 - 12 new primary care physicians in this underserved area on Milwaukee’s north side. Additionally, we are working with MHSI to provide operational support in order to help it expand primary care capacity at its site on Martin Luther King Jr. Dr.

Learn about our collaboration with the The Living Healthy Community Clinic in Winnebago County.