Worcester’s two community health centers, which more often treat low-income or vulnerable populations, treated more than 57,000 patients in 2018, totaling nearly 315,000 visits, according to a new report.
The Family Health Center of Worcester and the Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center also provide the region with an economic benefit, including through the 1,125 people they employ together, according to a report by the Boston nonprofit Capital Link. The report, released by the two health centers, pegs their combined economic impact at $148.8 million, including direct spending at the centers and income spent in the community.
The two Worcester facilities brought health expenditure savings to patients, including $69 million in Medicaid savings and $105 million to the health system in total, Capital Link estimated.
The Family Health Center is the slightly larger of the two, serving 29,001 patients in 2018, with 183,752 patient visits. Kennedy had 28,414 patients with a combined 131,223 visits. More than 90% of the centers’ patients are low-income and more than 70% identify as a racial or ethnic minority.
