Countdown is on for National Health Center Week

SUN CITY, NM    |    Sun-News Reports   |    June 21, 2017

Original article can be found at: http://www.scsun-news.com/

Multiple events around the country are planned as part of National Health Center Week (NHCW). The national campaign runs August 13-19, with the goal of raising awareness about the mission and accomplishments of America’s Community Health Centers over the course of more than five decades.

According to the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), Community Health Centers serve more than 25 million Americans. This represents a number that continues to grow along with the demand for affordable primary care. Community Health Centers, such as Hidalgo Medical Services (HMS), have compiled a significant record of success that includes:

• Producing $24 billion in annual health system savings;
• Reducing unnecessary hospitalizations and unnecessary visits to the emergency room;
• Treating patients for a fraction of the average cost of one emergency room visit;
• Maintaining high levels of patient satisfaction (more than 800 HMS patients were surveyed during the months of May and June 2017; 88% of those patients are very satisfied with the services provided at HMS and almost 99% of those patients would refer their family and friends to HMS for health care services);
• Serving more than one in six Medicaid beneficiaries for less than two percent of the national Medicaid budget.

According to NACHC, Community Health Centers not only prevent illness and foster wellness in the most challenging populations; they also produce innovative solutions to the most pressing health care issues in their communities. Because of their long record of success in innovation, managing health care costs, and reducing chronic disease, Community Health Centers have a proud tradition of bipartisan support in Congress.

HMS is planning an event to recognize NHCW, in both Hidalgo and Grant Counties, on Monday, August 14, 2017. There are NHCW events scheduled across the country, including health fairs, visits by Members of Congress and state officials to local health centers, press conferences, back-to-school drives, community breakfasts, patient appreciation events, free health screenings and dental cleanings, and much more.

To learn more about NHCW and to review the events calendar, please visit www.healthcenterweek.org. Please visit www.hmsnm.org to learn more about HMS services, providers, and locations.