ROSALIND FRANKLIN UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCES $1 MILLION IN NEW FUNDING FROM NORTHSHORE UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM TO EXPAND MOBILE CLINIC COMMUNITY OUTREACH

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Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

Jan 30, 2023, 09:51 ET

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill., Jan. 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, in partnership with NorthShore University HealthSystem, announces an additional $1 million grant from NorthShore's Community Investment Fund to expand the work of RFU's Community Care Connection mobile clinic program, which is improving access to health care for underserved and underinsured residents of Lake County, Illinois.

Rosalind Franklin University's "Care Coach" stops at a soccer field in Waukegan, Illinois. RFU's Community Care Connection program has been awarded $1.75 million by clinical partner NorthShore University HealthSystem to expand its work traveling into communities and neighborhoods and safe spaces to deliver care.

"We are grateful for the generous support and visionary leadership of NorthShore," said Dr. Wendy Rheault, RFU president and CEO. "Together, we are growing healthcare capacity, which in turn improves health equity and long-term health outcomes across our region."

RFU's mobile clinic, dubbed the "Care Coach," brings free health services to underserved, hard-to-reach patients at more than 30 sites throughout Lake County, where the highest incidence of diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and pre-diabetes is clustered in the lowest-income communities.

Staffed by licensed healthcare professionals, the Care Coach meets people and their families in their own towns and neighborhoods, at village halls, schools, senior and community centers, shelters, libraries and food pantries. It offers screenings for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cholesterol and osteoporosis; point-of-care testing for COVID-19, flu and strep; vaccinations; health-education programs; and assistance in finding primary or specialty care.

One of seven inaugural NorthShore CIF partners in 2022, RFU used its initial $750,050 CIF grant to improve community access to vital health services by 33%.

"These powerful partnerships are all about creating meaningful, lasting impact through data, relationships and resources," said Gabrielle Cummings, president, NorthShore Acute Care Operations and Highland Park Hospital, NorthShore — Edward-Elmhurst Health. "In just one year, we have made impressive strides and increased our understanding of how we can work together to make our communities healthier."

View the Care Coach's monthly location schedule or call (847) 578-8451.

About Rosalind Franklin University

RFU encompasses the Chicago Medical School, College of Health Professions, College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, and School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Learn more at rosalindfranklin.edu.

About NorthShore

NorthShore University HealthSystem is an integrated healthcare delivery system consistently ranked as a Top 15 Teaching Hospital in the U.S. Headquartered in Evanston, Illinois, NorthShore includes six hospitals — Evanston, Glenbrook, Highland Park, Northwest Community, Skokie and Swedish. Learn more at northshore.org.