Byrne Pelofsky has been honored to work with Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center (Sam Rodgers) over the past six months. Sam Rodgers leans on the tenants of its founder, Dr. Sam Rodgers, in their daily work to provide quality health care to each and every patient they serve. In 1968, Dr. Rodgers – an obstetrician/gynecologist – opened the first federally recognized community health center in Missouri and only the fourth of its kind in the United States, shepherding a new community-centered model for serving and healing. His goal? To relieve the pressure on people living in Kansas City’s poorest neighborhoods, particularly the Wayne Miner Projects where more than 3,000 people, mostly of color, lived in a four-block area.
Dr. Rodgers died in 1999, but he spent his life building compassionate and comprehensive care in the heart of Kansas City. Today, The Samuel U. Rodgers Health System serves tens of thousands of patients annually in four locations under the leadership of Bob Theis, CEO, who believes in “strong partnerships” and stresses “relationships, communication, and education” as the three most important elements to improved outcomes.
Programming covers all ages and many disciplines of health including medical, dental and behavioral health. Women’s Clinics provide maternal, prenatal and postpartum care in 42 languages to nearly 1,200 women including 875 refugees in 2022. Their award-winning WIC (Women, Infant & Children) team provides individualized nutrition, education and counseling, breastfeeding education, and many other kinds of vital support for both mother and baby.
In 2013, Sam Rodgers met stringent criteria and was recognized as a Level 3 Patient-Centered medical Home (PCMH) by the National Committee for Quality Assurance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. The PCMH model shows improvement in patient care and experience while reducing overall health care costs. Another model utilized by Sam Rodgers is the Missouri Medicaid Primary Care Health Home (PCHH) model. The model is customized to meet the needs of low-income patients with chronic medical conditions. PCHH incorporates focused case management and care coordination along with addressing social determinants of health barriers.
Whether they are feeding clients through their food pantry or throwing the occasional baby shower, Sam Rodgers continues to build upon the vision of Dr. Rodgers in big ways. Byrne Pelofsky is proud to be a part of their journey to blaze new trails in healthcare for all people.
Byrne Pelofsky is providing federal grant writing services to Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center. For more information on our grant writing services, get in touch with us at 816.237.1999 or at info@byrnepelofsky.com.