Family Health Care recognized as a national leader in heart health
BALDWIN, Michigan – The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) recently recognized Family Health Care for meeting or exceeding national benchmarks in several quality initiatives.
The health center earned the National Quality Leader Award for Heart Health for its work in hypertension control, the use of aspirin or antiplatelet for ischemic vascular disease, statin therapy, and tobacco use screening and cessation intervention. Family Health Care was one of only two community health centers in Michigan and among 26 health centers nationwide to earn the award, placing them in the top two percent of health centers in the United States.
“Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women, with more than 700,000 deaths each year,” said Amy Tompkins, quality director for Family Health Care.
Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest heart disease costs more than $250 billion a year because of health care services, medications, and lost productivity.
“By addressing cardiovascular health with our patients and being proactive with preventative medicine, we can lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other major health issues,” Tompkins said. “Preventative medicine is considerably cheaper than managing chronic illness, which, in turn, lowers health care costs across the board.”
HRSA also recognized Family Health Care for addressing social risk factors, advancing health information technology, and being a uniform data system early adopter.
HRSA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that governs federally qualified health centers (FQHCs).
Family Health Care is an FQHC that operates outpatient and school-based clinics in Lake, Mecosta, Missaukee, Newaygo, Osceola, and Wexford counties.
“These awards from HRSA exemplify our mission of providing quality, integrated, and comprehensive health care services that are affordable and accessible to everyone,” said Tompkins.
Media Contact:
Alan Neushwander
Director, External & Internal Relations
(231) 745-0433
aneushwander@familyhealthcare.org
