founded in 1977
Collier Health Services, Inc. (d/b/a Healthcare Network of Southwest Florida) was founded as
a nonprofit organization in 1977 by a group of community leaders to address the health
issues of migrant and seasonal farmworkers, rural poor and other citizens in Collier County.
Their first facilities were two small trailers in Immokalee. From the start, the nonprofit was
committed to providing basic medical and dental healthcare services at an affordable cost
while ensuring dignity and respect to each individual served.
expansion begins in 1993
Immokalee’s population has increased dramatically since 1977, as has its need for quality,
professional medical and dental healthcare. Always sensitive to these growing needs, the
administration and staff responded by building a new facility, the Marion E. Fether Medical
Center (now housing Family Care and Dental Care Immokalee), which was completed in July
1993. This location provided room for expanded healthcare services including family
medicine, pediatrics, women’s health, dental health, and chronic and infectious diseases.
Over a period of time, other medical support services such as laboratory and radiology,
pharmacy, outreach and health education, social services support, transportation and
translation assistance were also available. English, Spanish, French, Creole and Kanjobal are
spoken at many of Healthcare Network’s office sites.
Healthcare Network of Southwest Florida continues to seek ways to further its commitment
to provide quality, professional medical and dental healthcare services to Collier County
residents. In so doing, it has established 13 healthcare sites in Collier County, including the
Ronald McDonald Care Mobile® Program.
children’s healthcare
Healthcare Network established pediatric sites from Marco Island to Immokalee in 1996.
These offices are staffed by board-certified pediatricians as well as skilled nursing and
support staff members who specialize in the care of newborns, children and adolescents. In
addition to dealing with the physiological health issues of their patients, our pediatricians
also spend considerable time addressing their patients’ behavioral and developmental
concerns.
family healthcare
In 1999, the Immokalee Family Care Center (now Family Care iTech) was established to
provide Immokalee residents with family medical care in a private setting. By encouraging an
“appointment necessary” policy and limiting walk-in services, the providers and staff of the
Family Care iTech ensure that their patients receive the time and attention needed to treat all
their healthcare concerns.
dental services
In November 2001, Healthcare Network expanded its dental healthcare services in Collier
County with the opening of the Golden Gate Dental Practice (now moved to Dental Care
East). The mission of this practice is to provide general dental services to children whose
families otherwise could not afford it.
community need for primary healthcare
Healthcare Network opened its first primary care center in Naples in 2003 in response to a
County Commission-appointed study on the accessibility of healthcare to Collier County
residents. In 2000, the committee issued its report, one that painted a harsh picture of
unmet healthcare needs for large segments of the population. The report noted that an
alarming number of individuals and families were uninsured or underinsured, with many
existing at 100% to 200% of the federal poverty level. Through Horizons Primary Care
Center (now Family Care East), Healthcare Network began offering adult, pediatric and family
healthcare services. The bulk of the patients are at or below the federal poverty level.
linking dental and medical healthcare for children
In November 2004, the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile® Program was launched. A
partnership between Healthcare Network and Ronald McDonald House Charities® of SW
Florida, the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile is a 40-foot-long, 8-foot-wide mobile pediatric
office that delivers “Hope on Wheels” to disadvantaged children in Collier County. The goal
of the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile® program is to provide children with certain medical
and/or dental screenings and services, as well as information that will help connect them to a
medical home that can be their point of entry for continuing care.
The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile® offers numerous benefits and services in Collier County
including: school physicals for new students entering the Collier County school system;
vision and hearing screenings; growth and development screenings; dental exams and
preventive and restorative dental treatment, as well as prevention education programs. The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile® staff reaches the county’s children through schools with a high percentage of low-income students, selected after-school programs, and a variety of family-oriented festivals and activities.
expanded dental services in 2008
In January 2008, Countryside Dental Center (now Dental Care East), a 12-chair office in East
Naples, came to fruition in large part due to the need identified and quantified by the Care
Mobile Program. Later that same year, in conjunction with the Naples Children & Education
Foundation and the University of Florida’s College of Dentistry, a state-of-the-art Pediatric
Dental Center (now Dental Care Edison) was opened on the Collier County campus of Edison
State College. Pediatric dental residents rotate through the facility to satisfy their
requirements. This facility offers routine, as well as specialty services such as sedation and
hospital-based dentistry. Services are provided by University of Florida faculty and residents.
foundation
The Healthcare Network formed a separate foundation in 2008 to raise awareness and
funding for the programs and services of the Healthcare Network.
insurance company
Integral Quality Care began administering Medicaid healthcare services in 2010. Integral, a
Provider Service Network (PSN) owned by Collier Health Services, Inc. and administered by
Aetna, is comprised of over 3,000 Florida doctors, hospitals and other healthcare providers
who serve Florida Medicaid recipients in Collier, Manatee and Polk counties. The long-term
plan for the PSN includes expansion into additional counties throughout Florida.
family care services expand in 2011
In 2011, the Healthcare Network launched a new family care office in North Naples at the
corner of Immokalee and Goodlette-Frank Roads, Family Care North. The proximity of
Family Care North to NCH North Naples Hospital should reduce unnecessary emergency
room visits.
accreditation
All 13 of the Healthcare Network’s sites go through a rigorous evaluation of its compliance
with state-of-the-art performance standards through the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) accreditation program. The Healthcare Network has voluntarily sought accreditation since 1995 and was most recently re-accredited in March, 2010.
partnerships
In addition to serving citizens throughout Collier County, the Healthcare Network has
established relationships with area schools for the purpose of providing a teaching
environment for healthcare students. Some of these partnerships include Florida State
University-College of Medicine, University of Florida-College of Dentistry, Nova Southeastern
University–College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University–College of
Dentistry, Lorenzo Walker Institute of Technology, Edison State College and Florida Gulf
Coast University.
Some of the partnerships the Healthcare Network has established include Boys & Girls Club
of Collier County, Children’s Medical Services, Collier County Department of Health, Collier
County Dental Association, Collier County Education Foundation, Collier County Medical
Society, Collier County Public Schools, Collier County Sheriff’s Office, Collier County Rural
Health Network, Collier County Department of Social Services, David Lawrence Center,
Department of Children and Families, Everglades Area Health Education Center (AHEC),
Healthy Start, The Immokalee Foundation, March of Dimes, Naples Alliance for Children,
NCH Healthcare, Reach Out and Read National, Redlands Christian Migrant Association,
Ronald McDonald–Global, Ronald McDonald House Charities® of SWFL. These partnerships
enable the Healthcare Network to offer additional assistance to Collier County citizens
whenever and wherever possible.
milestones
1977 Collier Health Services founded; begins offering medical and dental services in Immokalee in two trailers.
1993 Marion E. Fether Medical Center opens in Immokalee, offering family medicine, pediatrics, women’s health, dental health and chronic and infectious diseases.
1995-2010 Accredited and reaccredited by Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).
1996 Pediatric network established with offices from Marco Island to Immokalee, with Board-certified pediatricians, skilled nursing and support staff.
1999 Immokalee Family Care Center opens
2003 Family Care Naples East Center opens as Horizons Primary Care to meet healthcare needs for uninsured and underinsured. Renamed Mike Davis Medical Center in August 2008.
2004 Ronald McDonald Care Mobile Program ® launched as a mobile pediatric office to provide children with medical and/or dental care.
2007 (Dec) Collier Health Services Foundation, Inc. formed.
2008 (Feb) 12-chair Countryside Dental Center opens in East Naples
2008 (Oct) Collier Health Services Foundation, Inc. renamed CHS Healthcare Foundation, Inc. (now Healthcare Network Foundation).
2008 (Dec) 17-chair State-of-the-art Pediatric Dental Center, in partnership with Naples Children and Education Foundation and the University of Florida’s College of Dentistry, opens on Edison College-Collier County campus
2009 Pediatric Department moved to newly opened Florida State University (FSU) campus in Immokalee in August.
2010 Integral Quality Care, a Provider Service Network, begins administering Medicaid insurance.
2010 Accredited by Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAHC).
2011 North Naples Pediatrics office moves to Polaris building, with expanded facilities
2011 Family Healthcare practice expands to North Naples
2012 CHS Healthcare is renamed The Healthcare Network of Southwest Florida
