A new primary care facility aims to transform healthcare access for older adults and residents in Crown Heights. TeamCare Medical officially opened its doors at 629 Park Place this month, showcasing a community-centered approach to health services. The grand opening featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by healthcare leaders, elected officials, and local partners.
The facility promotes a “whole-person” model of care, integrating medical services with social support under one roof. Ziad Farah, MD, MBA, the chief medical officer of TeamCare, highlighted the collaborative nature of this initiative. “We’re very excited. We’re delivering a whole care approach in our [TeamCare] program,” Farah said in an interview prior to the event. He emphasized that bringing healthcare directly into neighborhoods is crucial, especially for older adults.
“There’s a need in healthcare, especially for older adults, to bring care locally, make it close, make it accessible,” he noted. This philosophy is reflected in the design of the new facility, which features primary care and aligned specialty services on the first floor. The second floor is dedicated to a social daycare program, aimed at keeping older adults engaged and supported.
The president and CEO of CenterLight Health System and TeamCare Medical, Tara Buonocore-Rut, explained that the new model builds on decades of experience in caring for seniors through the PACE program, or Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly. “CenterLight has always championed innovation and holistic models of care. Our leadership in the PACE program reflects this commitment,” Buonocore-Rut stated during her presentation.
The PACE program is recognized as a gold standard for coordinated care that enhances seniors’ independence and overall well-being. However, Buonocore-Rut pointed out that many older adults do not meet the eligibility criteria for such services, leading to disparities in access. “There’s a disparity between people who are eligible and not eligible for PACE services,” she said. “What we’re trying to do is to provide and coordinate high-quality primary care holistically to those who could benefit but aren’t eligible.”
A key component of the new facility is the social daycare program. Buonocore-Rut noted that isolation can negatively impact health, often as severely as untreated medical conditions. “One of the keys to making sure that people age independently is keeping them in a community, socialized, engaged,” she emphasized.
By offering medical care, meals, and social interaction in one location, TeamCare Medical seeks to improve both health outcomes and quality of life for older adults. “Bringing them to a location, keeping them engaged, keeping them with their peers, giving them food, giving them access to all these wonderful things is amazing for their health and well-being,” Buonocore-Rut remarked. “We know it works on the PACE side of the business, so why shouldn’t it work for everyone else?”
TeamCare Medical is now open and ready to serve the community at 629 Park Place in Crown Heights. For more information about the services offered, interested individuals can visit their website.
