Choptank Community Health System is recognizing National Health Center Week this Aug. 8-14 with “Community Health Centers: The Chemistry for Strong Communities” the theme for the National Association of Community Health Center’s annual initiative.
“This year’s National Health Center Week honors the values, services, affordability, and innovations community health centers bring to our communities,” said Choptank Health CEO Sara Rich. “We are joining other Health Care Centers across the nation to recognize the importance of health centers and their role in supporting strong communities.”
Rich says National Health Center Week provides the opportunity to highlight the innovative ways health centers are providing high-quality care, improving health outcomes, and narrowing health disparities through focused communications during the Aug. 8-14 promotion. Focus areas include public health in housing; children’s health; healthcare for agricultural workers and people facing homelessness; and appreciation days for patients, stakeholders, and staff.
Health centers are community-based organizations that serve all populations including those with limited access to health care. Choptank Community Health is one of 17 centers in Maryland serving more than 377,000 individuals, including those without insurance or an ability to pay.
Choptank Community Health System is a Federally Qualified Health Center and one of more than 1,300 community-based health care providers participating in the U. S. Health Resources & Services Administration’s Health Center Program to provide primary care services in underserved areas. Flat rates for medical services and percentage discounts for dental services are available for uninsured Choptank Health patients.
“Community Health Centers are not just healers; we are innovators who look beyond medical charts to address the factors that may cause poor health, such as poverty, homelessness, substance use, mental illness, lack of nutrition, and unemployment,” Rich says. “We are a critical piece of the health care systems and collaborate with hospitals, local and state governments, social, health, and business organizations to improve health outcomes for medically vulnerable people. We build these partnerships to help create the chemistry behind our strong communities.”
Health Centers serve more than 28 million people nationwide and provide affordable, high quality, comprehensive primary care to people from throughout the local communities, including those underserved and uninsured.
Choptank Community Health System’s commitment to excellence is recognized with the nation’s oldest and largest health care accreditor, The Joint Commission. Achieving Joint Commission accreditation demonstrates Choptank Health’s commitment to continuous improvement in patient care.
Choptank Community Health System provides medical, dental, pediatric, and behavioral health services in Caroline, Dorchester, and Talbot counties, with a vision is to improve the health and well-being of people in the communities served by providing outstanding care experiences while being an exceptional place to work and make a difference, with more at www.choptankhealth.org.
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