Healthcare Network establishes Florida’s first integrated FQHC model for pediatric type 1 diabetes care

Healthcare Network has established Florida’s first integrated Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) model for pediatric type 1 diabetes care, giving Southwest Florida children local access to specialized treatment that can delay disease progression and potentially provide more time before they need daily insulin.

Healthcare Network is the first and only FQHC in Florida to integrate type 1 diabetes screening, referral to endocrinology for treatment evaluation and enrollment, and administration of teplizumab infusions within its community health center system.

Developed in partnership with the University of Florida Diabetes Institute, Healthcare Network’s type 1 diabetes early detection and treatment program has screened approximately 6,000 children in its first three months. The program reached a significant milestone in September when its first patient completed the 14-day teplizumab treatment course, beginning infusions on Sept. 10 and finishing Sept. 23.

Teplizumab can delay progression from stage 2 type 1 diabetes, when the disease is present, but symptoms have not yet developed, to stage 3, when symptoms develop and insulin is needed. Administered intravenously over 14 consecutive days, the treatment is not a cure, and the length of the delay varies. Providing treatment locally reduces the burden of traveling outside the region and helps families manage care alongside school and work.

The program offers free screening to children ages 2 to 18 to detect antibodies associated with type 1 diabetes before symptoms appear. Children with positive results receive confirmatory testing and follow-up guidance. Without early detection, a child’s diagnosis may come during diabetic ketoacidosis, a potentially life-threatening emergency.

Led by Dr. Sal Anzalone, Healthcare Network’s vice president of clinical business development and medical director of pediatrics, the initiative combines local screening with access to specialized treatment. Healthcare Network established the treatment process through its existing infusion clinic, with specialty guidance and prescribing oversight from Dr. Michael Haller, chief of pediatric endocrinology at the University of Florida and medical director of the UF Diabetes Institute.

“Community health centers are committed to meeting the needs of the people they serve, and that includes finding new ways to bring advanced care into our communities,” said Jamie Ulmer, president and CEO of Healthcare Network. “Our partnership with the University of Florida has made it possible to offer this specialized treatment locally, and we hope it serves as an example of what other health centers can accomplish.”

By bringing specialized treatment into a community health center setting, Healthcare Network is demonstrating how early detection and advanced care can be connected to expand access for children and families.

The program is supported by the University of Florida; Haller; TrialNet; Naples Children Foundation (founding organization of the Naples Winter Wine Festival); Help a Diabetic Child; Breakthrough T1D; and the state of Florida’s Diabetes STEPS program. Partners provided a range of support, including funding, clinical expertise, treatment development assistance and testing support.

For more information about Healthcare Network and its services, visit HealthcareSWFL.org.

About Healthcare Network
Founded in 1977 and approaching 50 years of service to Southwest Florida, Healthcare Network is a nonprofit community health center providing quality health care to more than 56,000 adults and children annually throughout Collier County. The organization offers comprehensive primary care, dental care, behavioral health services, pharmacy services, infusion services and community outreach programs, serving patients regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. From its beginnings in two trailers in Immokalee, Healthcare Network has grown into a countywide system of care committed to advancing health equity and improving community well-being. For more information, visit HealthcareSWFL.org, or to schedule an appointment, please call 239-658-3000.