ABOUT US
In 1986, Joanne Cochran, Keystone’s President and CEO, co-founded the center to provide health care to the migrant farmworkers in Franklin County. At that time Keystone was comprised of three volunteers providing part-time seasonal health care to migrant farmworkers in Franklin County and saw 500 patients during its first season.

Today, Keystone Health has about 325 employees. Of those, 50 are health care practitioners who provide care to about 40,000 patients through 167,000 visits per year.

Keystone Health is the only federally-qualified Community Health Center serving Franklin County. Community Health Centers are characterized by five essential elements that differentiate them from other providers:

  • They must be located in or serve a high need community, i.e. “medically underserved areas” or “medically underserved populations”;
  • They must provide comprehensive primary care services as well as supportive services such as translation and transportation services that promote access to health care;
  • Their services must be available to all residents of their service areas, with fees adjusted upon patients’ ability to pay;
  • They must be governed by a community board with a majority of members being health center patients; and,
  • They must meet other performance and accountability requirements regarding their administrative, clinical, and financial operations.
1986
Keystone is co-founded by Joanne Cochran to provide health care to migrant farmworkers in Franklin County.
1992
The Board expands the mission to include providing care to all residents of the area, regardless of ability to pay. Rural Health Clinic status is obtained and the corporation name is changed to Keystone Rural Health Center. A full-time, year-round family practice known as Keystone Health Center opens at1331 S. Seventh Street. The low-income and uninsured residents of Franklin County now have access to primary care and auxiliary services.

Keystone’s status is elevated to Federally Qualified Health Center for Medicare recipients and shortly thereafter for Medicaid recipients, which enables Keystone to receive cost reimbursement for patients receiving public insurances.

1994
Mrs. Cochran obtains Medically Underserved Population status for the low income of Franklin County and Health Professional Shortage Area status for Franklin County, making Keystone eligible to hire National Health Service Corp doctors, highly qualified physicians who chose to work in areas where doctors are needed in exchange for help from the government in repaying their education loans.

Keystone receives the additional designation of Community Health Center, making the health center eligible to apply for Public Health Service grants.
1995
Because the family providers see that the lack of dental care is impacting the health of uninsured patients, Keystone opens its dental practice, now called Keystone Dental Care.
1996

Keystone becomes the administrator of the statewide migrant farmworker grant and contracts with healthcare providers to ensure that migrants across the state have access to care.

Keystone receives a state grant to provide HIV/AIDS services in Franklin County, and in 1997 receives a state grant to provide the same services to migrants across Pennsylvania.

Because the health center has outgrown the leased 1331 S. Seventh Street location, Keystone conducts a Capital Campaign to raise funds to build the 820 Fifth Avenue facility. The facility is completed in 1998.
1999
When two local gynecologists announce their upcoming retirements, Keystone acquires their practice, adding obstetrical services and later renaming the practice as Keystone Women’s Care.
2001
Keystone offers its patients discounted pharmaceuticals through the Federal 340B Drug Pricing Program.

Keystone volunteers to undergo a Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations three-day on-site survey and earns full accreditation.
2003
Because the Summit Health-owned Franklin County Pediatrics needs additional pediatricians, Keystone acquires the practice so that National Health Service Corp pediatricians can be hired.

Keystone purchases the condo which houses the growing Keystone Dental Care.
2004
When a local cardiology practice announces it will disband, Keystone opens the Franklin County Heart Center to ensure that cardiology services will be available in the community. Because this is a specialty practice and not part of the Federally Qualified Health Center, a wholly-owned subsidiary, Keystone Physician Services, is formed. The opening of the practice brings the first interventional cardiologists to Franklin County.

When Cumberland Valley Mental Health Services (CVMHS) closes, Keystone expands its behavioral health services by hiring additional therapists and two psychiatrists. Keystone also takes over the Crisis Intervention Program that was operated by CVMHS.

Keystone undergoes its second Joint Commission survey and is reaccredited.

Keystone adds two internal medicine physicians to its staff.
2006
Keystone celebrates its 20th anniversary.

Administrative services are consolidated in one location, the newly built Summit-Keystone Pavilion. Several practices move into larger offices to accommodate the growing number of patients: Keystone Women’s Care and Franklin County Heart Center move to offices in the Pavilion. Franklin County Pediatrics moves into the Summit Health Center.
2007
Keystone’s internal medicine physicians separate from Keystone Family Medicine and move into a suite in the Summit Keystone Pavilion forming a new practice called Keystone Internal Medicine.

Keystone is reaccredited by The Joint Commission for a three-year period.
2008
Keystone Family Medicine begins using a scheduling model that allows patients to schedule any appointment within 24 hours.


Our Practices
Keystone Family Medicine
(717) 263-4313
Keystone Behavioral Health
(717) 263-0384
Keystone Dental Care
(717) 263-4462
Keystone Women's Care
(717) 217-6830
Franklin County Pediatrics
(717) 263-0550
Franklin County Heart Center
(717) 217-6944
Keystone Internal Medicine
(717) 217-6804