The topic of affordable health care has been a major issue in the U.S. for many years, but the founders and officials of Primary Care Health Services Inc. based in the Pittsburgh region have been striving to provide affordable and quality health care for over 40 years.
The group’s vision is to ensure that continued care is rendered to an individual by the same physician and that patients assume some responsibility for their care through ongoing health, education, and prevention.
For the past year David Hopkins, Chief Executive Officer of PCHS, has been working to assure that the mission and vision of the health care facility is fulfilled and that its legacy is carried on for many years to come. He has been part of the PCHS family since March 2016 when he became executive vice president, and shadowed the health center’s longtime director, Wilford Payne, who passed away soon after.
“I love being here and love the work but it is challenging,” said Hopkins.
Even though he has a broad background and the position is ideal for him, “People look at PCHS and Mr. Payne as wonderful. It makes me have to step up my game.”
Payne is credited for developing the Homewood-Brushton Health Center into the largest network of private clinics in Allegheny County and also helped push both the state and national health center movements.
Known as Alma Illery Medical Center at 7227 Hamilton Ave., PCHS, formed by the fundraising efforts of Richard Adams and Sam Thompson, is a private, community-based nonprofit corporation, formed in 1976 as the successor to the Homewood-Brushton Neighborhood Health Center. Currently addressing the needs of a multicultural, predominately low-income population, Alma Illery Medical Center is the flagship for a countywide system of health care centers. “Our footprint reaches all corners of Allegheny County,” said Hopkins, with locations such as the East End site on North Negley Avenue., Hazelwood Family Health Center, Hill House Health Center, McKeesport Family Health Center, Steel Valley Family Health Center in Homestead, West End Family Dental Center, West End Health Center and Wilkinsburg Family Health Center.
Hopkins pointed out that PCHS services and assists clients with and without insurance. “We have been providing affordable health care for over 40 years and most people think we only assist low-income people that don’t have insurance, but we offer a full array of primary care medical services for everyone.”
Services include pediatric care, adult medical care, specialty care, dentistry, behavioral health services, health care for the homeless and a pharmacy is located at the Alma Illery site with deliveries made to all its locations.
To assure that PCHS is fulfilling all its patients’ needs, Hopkins is working toward establishing specialty care areas like vision services, women’s health services, care for persons dealing with opioids and infectious diseases and sports medicine. He’s also interested in expanding the dental services to a few other locations within the system, to take walk-ins, provide emergency care and have extended hours. To accomplish such tasks and goals, Hopkins said he is fostering partnerships with health care systems to best serve the community throughout their footprint.
Wanting to promote their services as a company and shift the emphasis away from Alma Illery, which has a reputation in Homewood, plans are to rebrand the organization by placing the PCHS name on all their locations which will enhance name recognition and assure that the general population associates the quality care they provide across their entire Allegheny County footprint. The goal is for people to know that they can live anywhere and utilize any of PCHS’ locations and be serviced by a staff that’s committed to the mission of the organization, as demonstrated by the 27-year career of Dr. Sheila Ghanooni, the dental director. “I am happy here,” she said.
Formerly a market manager for PNC’s community development bank, Hopkins managed a team of lenders and outreach workers affecting affordable housing, neighborhood revitalization, economic development and service programs for the underserved. The Baltimore native also worked on high-impact strategy projects in business and retail banking for PNC. Bank executives selected him to be a member of a focus group that worked on strategies to improve its relationship with African American employees, customers and communities.
Prior to being selected by Payne to be a part of the PCHS team, he operated a consulting firm with a philosophy that, “Our society is built to have a place for everyone, including those who are underserved, so there is always a need for mission-based work.” His firm focused on similar community development work as his previous market manager position at the bank.
Raised in the projects of East Baltimore by his mother, a single parent, Hopkins said education was emphasized to him and his brother, who is now a physician. David attended Guilford College in North Carolina earning a Bachelor’s degree. He also earned a Master’s in Business Administration at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.
“A lot of my community banking experience translates to community health. They target the same population segment, both require compliance with government guidelines and reporting, and both strategically align private and public partnerships for the greater good of the community,” Hopkins said. “Even though I do not have health care experience, my leadership skills and commitment to community development gives me confidence that I can help the organization be successful.”
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