Health Care District’s C. L. Brumback Primary Care Clinics Promote Pediatric Health for National Health Center Week 2020

As families prepare for the start of school, the C. L. Brumback Primary Care Clinics are encouraging parents to schedule physical exams for their children. The Brumback Clinics are following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) screening and CDC infection control guidelines for healthcare settings to provide safe, in-person medical, appointments and pharmacy services at eight clinic sites throughout Palm Beach County. The Brumback Clinics new Pediatrics Director, Charmaine Chibar, MD, reminds parents of children who are due to receive vaccinations to schedule an appointment by calling 561-642-1000.

“It’s vital for parents to protect their children against serious vaccine-preventable diseases, even as the COVID-19 pandemic continues,” said Charmaine Chibar, MD. “Children who are not up to date on their immunizations will be more vulnerable to diseases such as measles. We want to assure parents that we are following best practices and that safeguards for in-person clinic visits are in place.”

To maintain physical distancing, patients check in for their appointments virtually through an easy-to-use phone app or in-office iPad. Patients remain safely outside the clinic in “parking lot waiting rooms”, like their cars, until the phone app alerts them to enter the clinic. Telemedicine is also in full swing with providers treating patients remotely via video-chat. Patients can call 561-642-1000 to schedule an appointment for COVID-19 testing, a telemedicine visit or inpatient visit.

When pediatric dental services resume within the next few months, the offices will be equipped with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration by utilizing aerosol suction systems with ultraviolet lights that help keep the air and office environment clean during treatment. Patients will also enjoy new, comfortable and technologically-advanced dental chairs.


“Dental visits are also extremely important for our younger patients to maintain good oral health and eliminate dental pain,” said John N. Cucuras, DDS, the Brumback Clinics’ Dental Director. “Prevention is key in maintaining strong, healthy teeth and a winning smile in conjunction with overall health.”

To mark National Health Center Week 2020 (August 9-15), the Brumback Clinics are celebrating their role as a Community Health Center to ensure everyone can access affordable, quality healthcare during and beyond the pandemic. The Brumback Clinics provide a medical home for some 50,000 adult and pediatric patients throughout Palm Beach County, regardless of whether or not they have insurance. This year’s National Health Center Week theme is: “Community Health Centers: Lighting the Way for Healthier Communities Today and in the Future.”

“This National Health Center Week we celebrate the frontline workers and clinic staff who have served our community during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” said Belma Andrić, MD, MPH, Chief Medical Officer and Vice President and Executive Director of Clinic Services for the Health Care District. “I commend our Brumback Clinics staff who operationalized the county’s largest drive-thru testing site at the FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, along with six other test sites. Together they have provided over 70,000 COVID-19 tests to date.”

To increase access to testing in neighborhoods of need, a medical team with the mobile clinic named “Scout” visits a different county location daily. The Health Care District of Palm Beach County, which operates the Brumback Clinics, also staffs “Warrior”, the mobile clinic supporting COVID-19 testing at the ballpark site. This year the Health Care District plans to add a third mobile clinic named “Hero” to the fleet.

Community Health Centers like the Brumback Clinics are located in areas of high need. They are locally run yet part of a national network serving almost 30 million people nationwide. According to the National Association of Community Health Centers, America’s health centers save American taxpayers $24 billion a year in health care costs by preventing and managing chronic diseases. To learn more about the Brumback Clinics, including hours and locations, call 561-642-1000 or visit www.BrumbackClinics.org.