Open Door Welcomes New Board Member Ruth Sapatanga

Open Door Welcomes New Board Member Ruth Sapatanga

Ruth Sapatanga became a patient at the Open Door Family Medical Center site in Ossining shortly after arriving here in 2017 from her native Ecuador.

This month, as part of its ongoing goal to meet the needs of the people the federally qualified health care center serves, Open Door has added Sapatanga to its Medical Center Board of Directors.

“Community health centers are medical practices that are owned by the community; unlike other medical groups we are not owned by the practicing physicians,” said Lindsay Farrell, President and CEO of Open Door.  “We’ve been very deliberate in identifying community members to serve on our governing board who represent the people we serve. We were introduced to Ruth by another board member who knew of her energy and commitment. She’s a go-getter who will make important contributions in the board room.”

Sapatanga, who lives in Ossining, has been active as an educator and soccer coach both here and in South America, and is now working in a management capacity at Roberto Floors, a locally-owned business in Ossining. She holds a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Cuenca in Ecuador.

“I’m thankful for this opportunity and want to continue to get more involved in the community,” she said. “I personally know the struggle of many people who come here, some of whom are without documents. They need to be better educated in order to stay healthy. I want to be part of getting them the information they need so Open Door can help them.” 

Open Door Family Medical Center’s mission has remained consistent since it first opened in 1972:  to provide high-quality, affordable, efficient health care to the community, particularly low-income, underserved residents.

Today, Open Door cares for over 60,000 adults and children every year in Westchester, Putnam and Ulster counties – with more than 300,000 patient visits and over 400 babies delivered annually – regardless of ability to pay. Open Door provides medical, dental, and behavioral health care across its health centers, and offers specialty services including pediatrics, women’s health (OB/GYN), podiatry, optometry, and more. Open Door currently operates health centers in Ossining, Port Chester, Sleepy Hollow, Mount Kisco, Brewster and Mamaroneck, as well as seven school-based health centers, a dental van, and a comprehensive dental facility in Saugerties.  For more information, visit www.opendoormedical.org.

About Open Door Family Medical Center and Foundation
Open Door Family Medical Center provides health care and wellness programs to individuals and families in need throughout Westchester, Dutchess, Putnam and Ulster Counties. A pioneer Federally Qualified Health Center, Open Door provides more than 300,000 patient visits annually and serves 63,000 individual patients who might not otherwise have access. Open Door offers integrated services and a holistic approach to building healthier communities. Primary medical care, dental care, integrated behavioral health care, clinical nutrition, wellness programs, and chronic disease management are the foundation of its clinical programs. Founded as a free clinic in 1972, Open Door’s mission of building healthier communities through accessible, equitable, culturally competent health care has led to site and service expansions. Today, Open Door operates centers in Brewster, Mamaroneck, Mount Kisco, Ossining, Port Chester, and Sleepy Hollow, in addition to nine School-Based Health Centers in the Port Chester, Webutuck, and Ossining School Districts, a mobile dental van in Mount Kisco, and a dental practice in Saugerties, NY. Open Door is accredited by the Joint Commission and is recognized by the National Committee on Quality Assurance as a Patient-Centered Medical Home. Open Door achieves clinical results that consistently surpass national benchmarks for patient outcomes. For additional information, please contact Elisabeth Gilbert, Senior Director of Development, at 914-502-1417.

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