At a time when national drug-store-chain closures are creating pharmacy deserts that widen medication and healthcare-access disparities, DIGroup Architecture (DIG) is expanding its community health center reach to Philadelphia, where the MBE/DBE/SBE-certified firm established an office five years ago. According to the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), more than 31 million Americans relied on FQHCs for their care in 2022.

Recognizing the city's unique healthcare challenges and the increasing need for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to provide targeted services, DIG is leveraging its extensive expertise in this niche healthcare space to create innovative and sustainable facilities for improving primary and preventive care across Philadelphia's underserved communities. The firm is proficient in navigating the entire FQHC project life cycle, from pre-planning and design to bid, construction and overall project management. 

Over the course of the past 10 years, DIG has completed 13 FQHCs across New Jersey and New York City. The firm has a wide range of experience working with public agencies, non- and for-profit organizations and community leaders to address the growing healthcare needs of underrepresented communities. 

“FQHCs play a crucial role in providing primary care, specialty treatment and preventive care to low-income and uninsured individuals. Designing facilities to house these services warrants special considerations such as creating multi-use spaces, careful attention to patient navigation and thoughtful planning around provider workflow and circulation,” said Vince Myers, DIG president. 

“Efficient, functional and patient-centered facilities have become increasingly important and demand is surging,” he said. “At DIG, we’ve been at the forefront of designing FQHCs that have become beacons of health and hope for their communities and are excited to bring our Architecture for Change approach to Greater Philadelphia.”

DIG’s axiom Architecture for Change is rooted in its founding principle to deliver world-class designs to underserved and under-represented communities in which its projects are located. Through the power of architecture as an equalizer, DIG is committed to revitalizing neighborhoods.  

The firm’s community health center projects serve as a tangible manifestation of this vision, from ground-up new development to gut renovations with targeted aesthetic and functional updates. 

Recent and past examples include serving as project manager/project architect for a custom-designed telemedicine office hub for Zufall Health in Morristown, NJ, and a total of nine FQHC assignments for Urban Health Plan, Inc., a not-for-profit system of 12 health centers, one mental health center, 12 school-based centers and three part-time clinics in New York City’s South Bronx, Corona, Queens, Brooklyn and Central Harlem communities. 

In Philadelphia specifically, the city’s FQHC infrastructure has been the focus of expansion efforts in recent years. Serving a significant percentage of the city's population, approximately 40 of these essential centers offer much-needed primary care, dental services, mental health support and preventive screenings to people of all ages.

“While the primary purpose of FQHCs is to be a lifeline for those without or limited health insurance or access to traditional care, they also treat their patients as a whole person. As such, these health centers serve as a community focal point for hope and contribute toward the economic health of the community-at-large by creating local jobs, generating economic activity and contributing a cost savings to the health system annually,” explained Myers.  

To address healthcare disparities, the firm’s approach emphasizes collaboration with community partners to ensure that each facility is not only functional, but also sustainable and responsive to the ever-evolving needs of the community. With a keen awareness of the social determinants of health, DIG’s design process results in FQHCs that are truly integrated into the fabric of the community.

In addition to its FQHC and community-health design portfolio, DIG’s dedicated Healthcare Studio spearheads a wide range of health, wellness, life science and hospital projects across New Jersey, Philadelphia and New York City. The award-winning architecture, interior and environmental graphic design firm also specializes in education, civic and senior living spaces.