Thanks to a Bank of America donation to Parkland Health & Hospital System’s new RedBird Health Center, Dallas County residents are one step closer to expanded health services.
The newest addition to the Parkland Health & Hospital System is slated to open in September, providing additional preventive health services to southern Dallasites.
A recent Parkland Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) found that disparities in access to medical care are contributing to a nearly 25-year gap between ZIP codes with the highest and lowest life expectancies.
“Today in Dallas County, your ZIP code is a better predictor of health than your genetic code,” said Christina Mintner, senior vice president of population health at Parkland.
The CHNA indicates that many patients from southern Dallas County ZIP codes visit Parkland’s emergency department for basic primary care. Many need specialized care to manage their diabetes and associated complications or require life-saving cancer treatment at later stages because they did so not have access to screenings and early intervention.
“We believe that where you live should not define how long and how well you live. That’s why we’re building the new RedBird Health Center in the heart of southern Dallas County, to fight the inequities in healthcare,” explained Mintner.
It is located at U.S. Route 67 and Interstate 20 in the Reimagine RedBird development, the new 40,000 square-foot health center. The center will provide adult and geriatric primary care, specialty care for women, behavioral health, breast cancer screenings, a pharmacy, social work, physical medicine, rehabilitation, and other services.
“Guided by Bank of America’s commitment to helping our communities move forward […] we understand the persisting challenges many areas of our city face in accessing quality healthcare, including southern Dallas County, and we are honored to play a part in this project and support Parkland’s mission to serve the most vulnerable in our community,” said Jennifer Chandler, Bank of America Dallas President.
To learn more about the RedBird Health Center or make a gift, contact Parkland Foundation at 214-266-2000.