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"Jesus Christ is the true healer of the individual and the community"

Christian Health opened on December 3, 2012, after more than three years of planning, research, and the efforts of dozens of individuals with the same goal in common:  offering exceptional and affordable healthcare to the underserved and uninsured in the Syracuse area, sharing the love of Christ with all who enter its doors. 

It started as a vision shared between friends--Christians in the Syracuse community, some in the medical field--who noticed the disparity of access to care among Medicaid and Medicare members, along with a high number of uninsured neighbors using emergency rooms as primary care because they had no other option. What if those people could be offered a primary care facility where they would be known individually and could be seen routinely? What if they could pay a small fee, based on their income level and get the same excellent care as those with commercial plans? 

A group of founding members believed it was possible and started Christian Health Service of Syracuse, beginning the process of becoming accredited by the New York State Department of Health. The state looked at the initial proposal and asked for their location, basically stating that unless there was a physical address, they would not even start considering approval. The group pooled their resources and purchased the building at 3200 Burnet Ave, in Syracuse. 

Next they recruited a small army of volunteers, many from Living Word Church and other local churches, who remodeled the entire building, from the roof down. Hundreds of volunteer hours later, the former mortgage lending office had a whole new look--including a lobby, reception area, 10 exam rooms, 5 restrooms, multiple offices, a break room, and a conference room. 

At the same time, a group of medical and legal professionals worked and prayed together to draft the final proposal and complete a policy and procedures manual. New York State finally approved Christian Health Service of Syracuse as an Article 28 Diagnostic & Treatment Center, in 2012, operating as a non-profit organization. 

From the beginning, Christian Health has accepted patients without insurance, offering a sliding fee self-pay option, based on income level. Patients with Medicaid and Medicare are also accepted, with no restrictions. With the introduction of the Affordable Care Act, there has been a rise in patients enrolling with Essential plans from New York State or joining cost-sharing insurance plans. No one is turned away. 

And at the very heart of the mission of Christian Health is the love of Christ. Many volunteers came together to build the practice, and many still volunteer or have joined through the years to serve as consultants, acute care professionals, nurses, receptionists, HVAC and IT coordinators, groundskeepers, and more! Their dedication comes from a desire to see the Gospel shared in the Syracuse community. The staff gathers every morning to pray and also prays with anyone who comes through the doors with a need--physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual. As one founding member says, “Any day that we can point someone to consider the things of God and want to learn more about Him, in the midst of receiving excellent care--that’s a successful day at Christian Health.”