PRESS RELEASE

Plainfield Health Center Pediatric Volume Breaks Record
Rough Flu Season Leads to New Patient High

For Immediate Release: Monday, March 22, 2004-PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY- The Plainfield Health Center (PHC), one of eighteen Federally Qualified Health Centers in New Jersey, dedicated to providing cost effective primary health care services for the residents of Plainfield and surrounding communities, treated an all time record volume of over 2,000 pediatric patients during the month of December. In past years, the pediatrics department generally handled a patient volume of up to 1,600 during the month of December, with higher volumes in January and February. The incidence of flu, the flu shot shortage and the volume of vaccines that PHC was able to procure were large factors contributing to the volume of patients coming for treatment.

The flu season was particularly bad and early, nationwide, this year. In addition, there was national attention to an unusual amount of flu related fatalities, especially affecting young children. The Center for Disease Control referred New Jersey residents to the Plainfield Health Center for flu vaccines via their toll free number and their web site. The combination of flu and the rush for flu vaccines, created an unusual demand for medical care, especially in pediatrics at PHC.

“My daughter felt it was important to vaccinate our twin granddaughters, and her pediatrician could not procure vaccines. I was delighted to bring my family to the Plainfield Health Center,” said Carol Panise, long time Plainfield resident. “The staff was great with the girls, and considering the overwhelming patient demand, they did a great job getting to patients as quickly as possible.”

The Plainfield Health Center, not only handled record patient volume in pediatrics, but volume was higher overall, throughout our facility, nearing 5,000 patients for the month of December.

About The Plainfield Health Center

The Plainfield Health Center, incorporated as the Plainfield Neighborhood Health Services Corporation, was born in 1969 under the auspices of the 1960's Model Cities Neighborhood Program. Led by a dedicated group of community activists, the Center was initially created to provide accessible health care to the residents of the West End of Plainfield.

Since then, the Center has grown, added more services, increased the number of specialties of professional health staff, and expanded its reach to the entire City of Plainfield and neighboring communities, and to the City of Elizabeth. Today, the Plainfield Health Center serves more than 21,000 patients annually. Its total care program provides adult medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, adolescent medicine, school based services, dentistry and ancillary support services.

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