BRANCHING
OUT 2015 ANNUAL REPORT
BERKS COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER
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FROM THE
Board Chair Access to primary healthcare remains challenging for many people in our community. According to the recently completed Berks County Community Health Needs Assessment, more than two out of five county residents still face economic hardships. Nearly 10% of county residents skipped medical care due to cost. These issues are magnified in the City of Reading.
Board of Directors Nick Marmontello, Jr., Chair Michael Reese, Vice Chair James Spencer, Treasurer Donald F. Smith, Jr., Esq., Secretary Nancy Yocom, Assistant Secretary Margaret Bligh Margarita Caicedo Yessenia Garcia Mary C. Hahn LuAnn Oatman Gary W. Rightmire, Past Chair Maria Simons DuShawn Ware
Advisory Board D. Michael Baxter, MD
Berks Community Health Center exists to improve access to quality, affordable healthcare for the residents of Reading and Berks County. To accomplish this important Nick Marmontello, Jr. goal, we began in 2015 to branch out and Chair, Board of Directors grow the availability of our services. In collaboration with the Reading Housing Authority, in August 2015 we improved access for people residing in southwest Reading and surrounding communities by opening a new health center on Liggett Avenue, adjacent to Oakbrook Public Housing and the Sylvania Homes. Based on community response, it was not long before we expanded the hours there and increased the number of providers. In 2016, we will open a third BCHC site and will continue to work to identify areas of the county where greater access is needed. As CEO Mary Kargbo describes in this report, we also branched out to add services beyond primary care and integrated behavioral health. The Board was particularly excited to approve the launch of a novel initiative to focus on diabetes management by incorporating specialty podiatry and optometry evaluation and care on site. We foresee launching more high-value services that will benefit BCHC patients in the future. While we grow, we always maintain the focus on delivering quality, patient-centered care. A number of constants, such as quarterly patient satisfaction surveys, Patient Advisory Committee, and staff and Board Quality Committees guide us, and support decisions like expanded evening hours and availability of more walk-in visits. I am proud to report that for the second year in a row, BCHC received additional federal grant monies in recognition of the delivery of quality healthcare. Much of this is made possible by an outstanding Board of Directors. It is a pleasure to work with a team of people who are so committed to ensuring success for the mission and vision of Berks Community Health Center. BCHC’s ability to move forward is strengthened by this capable group of community leaders. On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank the excellent staff at BCHC for their outstanding accomplishments in 2015. Mary Kargbo, CEO and Dr. Mary Kelleher, Chief Medical Officer, lead the organization tirelessly, not only to deliver on BCHC’s mission, but to ensure that our growth is thoughtful, deliberate and responsive to the needs of the community we are here to serve.
Patricia Giles Gerald P. Malick, MD
Nick Marmontello, Jr. Chair, Board of Directors
Karen A. Rightmire
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BRANCHING OUT 2015 ANNUAL REPORT
FROM THE
CEO
2015 was a memorable and expansive year at Berks Community Health Center which makes our theme, “Branching Out,” so appropriate. Not only did we add another health center location, we expanded the breadth and impact of our services to better serve our patients and the community. Our greatest challenge and achievement this year was opening BCHC at Oakbrook. A remarkable partnership with the Reading Housing Authority resulted in a beautiful new health center that will serve not only residents of the Oakbrook Housing Development and Sylvania Homes, but families in Mary H. Kargbo Southwest Reading and surrounding communities CEO like Shillington, Mohnton and beyond. You will read more about the project in this report. The addition of key specialty services, woven into the fabric of primary care, was another goal we had set for ourselves, and we made great progress. The seeds for our Integrated Behavioral Health program, directed by Helen Wooten, LCSW, were planted as 2014 drew to a close, and in 2015 the program took firm root and grew apace. This approach allows for brief intervention in the primary care setting for emotional or mental health problems patients are experiencing, with referral to appropriate outside services for longer-term needs. Another initiative was to address the debilitating impact of diabetes in our community by improving access to related specialty care right at our health centers. Podiatrist, Dr. Noahleen Betts joined BCHC part-time in January, 2015. It was not long before the demand for her care mushroomed, and by the end of the year she became a full-time provider. We added a registered dietitian Dori Goulden to our staff in the fall to provide personalized dietary counseling to patients at both health center locations. I have heard from patients how much they appreciate this addition to our services. We also welcomed an OB/GYN, Dr. Nwogo Agbasi, to the BCHC family on a part-time basis. She and Dr. Tom Raff, Reading Health System Family Medicine physician and educator, have made great inroads increasing the number of patients receiving early prenatal care and family planning services. Finally, I am very proud to report that, amidst all of this activity in 2015, led by our Chief Medical Officer Dr. Mary Kelleher and other leadership staff, BCHC earned recognition as a Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) from the National Council on Quality Assurance (NCQA). This was no small undertaking, in which BCHC demonstrated that our model of primary care combines teamwork and information technology to improve care, improve patients’ experience of care and reduce costs. For all of these achievements, I want to thank our Board, our physicians and nurse practitioners, the leadership team and every single member of the BCHC staff. All of this happened because of hard work and dedication of the exceptional group of people that make up our BCHC family. Mary H. Kargbo CEO
BERKS COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER
Mission To improve access and the health of our community through the delivery of coordinated comprehensive services for all residents of Berks County regardless of their economic status.
Vision To have all residents of Reading and Berks County lead healthy lives through the delivery and coordination of affordable, comprehensive, culturallysensitive patient- and family-centered healthcare.
Values To achieve our mission and realize our vision, we embrace the following values: Respect for People Quality Integrity Community Focus
In Memory of Ruth M. McGrath Sadly, we recently lost a beloved member of our Board of Directors, Ruth McGrath. A founding BCHC Board member, Ruth had the vision and passion to establish a Federally Qualified Health Center in Berks County which came to fruition in June, 2012. She continued to serve as a board member and committee chair until her untimely death in February, 2016. As BCHC moves forward, the Board will remember and rely upon the insight and guidance provided so capably by Ruth. She is deeply missed. 3
BRANCHING OUT BCHC at Oakbrook Opens Balloons filled the air and the atmosphere was festive on Monday, August 24, 2015, when BCHC held a grand opening ribbon cutting to officially open a brand new site in Reading. Berks Community Health Center at Oakbrook, at 1040 Liggett Avenue in southwest Reading, became the second Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) location in the city. The new health center was established in response to healthcare needs that had long been identified in the Oakbrook public housing development and surrounding areas. A consortium of concerned organizations – The Reading Housing Authority, Alvernia University, Reading Health System and Penn State-St. Joseph’s – had already begun working toward the goal of improving access to care in the area. BCHC CEO Mary Kargbo became involved in the efforts, and in 2014 the Health Resources and Services Administration opened an opportunity to apply for a new FQHC site.
“I’m sure not only the need in the community, but also the collaboration among these great organizations, was key to the approval for a new health center,” said Mrs. Kargbo. When in the spring HRSA announced the application had been approved, the clock began ticking. The health center needed to be completed and operating within 120 days – early in the fall. BCHC and the Reading Housing Authority joined forces. Reading Housing Authority would purchase and renovate the property that Easter Seals owned, giving Easter Seals the opportunity to move to a smaller facility that would serve its needs better. Local architects Lee Olsen and Larry Smith of Olsen Design Group created a renovation plan that would be kind to the budget – utilizing as much existing structure as possible – while transforming the building into a stateof-the-art medical center. Mrs. Kargbo pointed out that BCHC was grateful to receive funding toward large equipment purchases from the Community General Hospital Healthcare Fund of the Berks County Community Foundation.
Cutting the ribbon on BCHC at Oakbrook’s first day of operation were, from left, Stacey Keppen, Deputy Executive Director, Reading Housing Authority (RHA); Dan Luckey, Executive Director, RHA; Mary Kargbo, CEO, BCHC; Dr. Xequiel Hernandez, Family Physician, BCHC at Oakbrook; Steve Belinski, Board Chair, RHA; Nick Marmontello, Board Chair, BCHC.
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BCHC Board Chair Nick Marmontello hosted the ribbon cutting event.
Reading Housing Authority’s CEO Dan Luckey and Deputy Director Stacey Keppen put their staff and resources fully behind the project, led by RHA’s Dave Talarico and Fred Prutzman. Said Mary Kargbo, ”There were days when I thought,’ How can they possibly get this done?’ The inside was totally gutted and everything was rebuilt from the ground up. I can’t say enough about the work put into this project by every single person involved. We opened right on time, in a beautiful health center.” The new BCHC at Oakbrook can accommodate three primary care providers in 9 exam rooms. Physical elements in the building include a Healthy Eating room, with a full kitchen and seating for groups, funded by the Wyomissing Foundation, where BCHC’s Registered Dietitian conducts classes and hands-on demonstrations. A Community Room provides a convenient meeting place for local organizations, as well as providing space for health education programs offered by BCHC.
BRANCHING OUT 2015 ANNUAL REPORT
BCHC at Oakbrook patients also have access to Integrated Behavioral Health services and Podiatry care (see pages 8-10) on site, and can access other BCHC specialty services at the Penn Street location. Education for health care providers and health sciences students is an additional benefit that is evolving at the new site. Alvernia University established a Physical Therapy room where PT students receive their supervised clinical training, and offer free physical therapy services to BCHC patients during each semester. Alvernia Nursing students do Community Nursing rotations and offer education programs and events based on community needs and interest. “There is great potential for us to offer other programs the opportunity to provide clinical rotations at BCHC at Oakbrook,” said Mrs. Kargbo. “But first and foremost,” she concluded, “we are proud to be making affordable, quality healthcare available in this community.”
Bob Richardson, then the Director of the Bureau of Health Planning, PA Department of Health (DOH), made the exciting announcement at the ribbon cutting that BCHC had been awarded a two-year, $600,000 grant from the DOH to support the establishment of BCHC at Oakbrook.
BERKS COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER
With little more than a month to go before opening, RHA Executive Director Dan Luckey (far left) and BCHC CEO Mary Kargbo attended the Fourth of July picnic RHA threw for the construction crew. RHA Maintenance Superintendent Dave Talarico (second from right) and Building Construction Inspector Fred Prutzman (far right) were instrumental in the health center project’s completion.
“I’m sure not only the need in the community, but also the collaboration among these great organizations, was key to the approval for a new health center,” said Mrs. Kargbo.
A community Open House was held in September to acquaint residents of Oakbrook and Sylvania Homes and the surrounding neighborhoods with the new health center. Plenty of kids and adults turned out for ice cream, cake, tours, information, contests and raffles, music and dancing. The festivities even sparked an impromptu conga line!
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BERKS COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER
2015 Annual Report Every year, Federally Qualified Health Centers are required to report defined data to the Health Services and All patient demographic and financial information is self-reported to BCHC staff by patients.
Total Number of Patient Visits in 2015
22,629
Patients by Age Patients by Sex
65+
10%
752
Under 18
21% 1,566
Male
39% 2,987
Total Number of Unduplicated Patients
18 to 64
69%
Female
61%
5,290
4,621
7,608
Patients by Income Level
As a Federally Qualified Health Center, BCHC offers a sliding fee discount program to all patients based on income. Discounts on services are offered to all patients whose income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). (FPL = Federal Poverty Level. In 2015, the FPL for a family of four was income less than $24,251.)
101-150% of FPL 9% 692
100% of FPL and below
84% 6,401
151-200% of FPL 3% 193 More than 200% of FPL 2% 164 Unknown/unreported at time 2% 158
2015 By The Numbers Patients Treated
125 Veterans 79 Agricultural workers or their dependents 53 Children or teens (under 18) with no health insurance 112 Adults with no health insurance 685 Public housing residents 384 Homeless
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Major Health Problems 2,153 Patients diagnosed with hypertension diagnosed with anxiety or 1,972 Patients depression or other mood disorder 1,319 Patients diagnosed with diabetes 1,289 Patients diagnosed as overweight or obese 1,284 Patients diagnosed with asthma or COPD 775 Patients diagnosed with tobacco use disorder BRANCHING OUT 2015 ANNUAL REPORT
Statistics Resources Administration (HRSA).
Patients by Ethnicity and Race
Hispanic /Latino or non-Hispanic/Latino is considered an ethnicity, and is reported separately from how patients identify race. All statistics are for calendar year 2015.
Ethnicity
Statement of Operations and Changes in Net Assets (Deficit) Years Ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 Revenue Patient Services Revenue (Net of Contractual Allowances) Provision for bad debts
2015 $ 3,348,149
2014 $ 1,934,187
(99,075)
14,323
Net Patient Services Revenue 3,249,074
1,948,510
Grant Revenue 2,703,054 Other Revenue 184,029 Other Patient Revenue 52,696 (Capitation)
2,517,587 277,894 32,481
Total Revenue
Hispanic/Latino
72% 5,445
Berks Community Health Center
Race
Non-Hispanic/ Latino
28%
White/Caucasian
2,162
51% 3,914
Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander .2% 4
Unknown/ refused to identify
Asian .8% 31 More than one race 3% 273
Black/African American
17%
26%
American Indian/Alaska Native 2% 149
1,267
1,970
Expenses Salaries and benefits Consulting services and professional fees General and administrative Rent Supplies and expenses Utilities Depreciation Insurance Interest Total Expenses
Net Revenue
Patients by Insurance Coverage
Medicaid/ CHIP/Other public insurance
59%
4,506
1,385
No Insurance
19604
797
1,587
21%
10%
13% 920
BERKS COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER
3,862,441 578,134
2,929,804 679,325
384,698
256,361
327,723 212,991 145,737 119,281 22,829 31,656
192,000 189,845 116,724 73,115 38,371 33,934
5,685,490
4,509,479
$ 503,363
$ 366,993
19611 6% 485 19606 4% 339 Other 196 Zip Codes 7% 510
19602 Private/ Commercial Insurance
4,876,472
Patients by Zip Code
Medicare:
18%
6,188,853
27% 2,208
19601
29% 2,198
195 Zip Codes 4% 279 Other Zip Codes 2% 182
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BRANCHING OUT Expanding Primary Care Services Integrated Behavioral Health Addresses Emotional and Mental Health Needs When someone is depressed or anxious, their primary care provider is often the first health care professional to know about the problem. Perhaps a patient comes in with symptoms like poor sleep, a decreased or increased appetite, or lack of energy. All of these could be a medical problem, or they could be signs of depression or anxiety. Sometimes a patient will report a physical problem to the medical assistant, but in the privacy of the exam room the discussion with the provider turns to emotional or behavioral health concerns. “It’s important to be able to treat the whole person in family medicine,” explains BCHC’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Mary Kelleher. “As family practitioners, we want to have the right tools available to help our patients with their mental and emotional health needs.” The Integrated Behavioral Health Program at BCHC offers such tools. Headed by Director of Behavioral Health Services Helen Wooten, LCSW, the Integrated Behavioral Health model at BCHC starts with primary care staff screening all patients routinely at every visit for depression or anxiety. If results from the PHQ-9 questionnaire flag concerns, the patient is offered the opportunity to consult with the behavioral health counselor. Additionally, every patient receives information that behavioral health resources are only a phone call away. If a patient wants to reach out for assistance, the behavioral health staff will follow up with an individual appointment. “We live in a stressful world, and people who are struggling with physical, social and financial problems are at great risk for emotional and mental health problems,” said Helen Wooten. “The advantage with identifying mental health problems in the primary care setting is that we can begin to help our patients right away, during their primary care visit. “Sometimes just that one visit is enough,” she continued. “Or, maybe another short
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Walk-In Triage Program Aims to Reduce ER Visits
Behavioral Health Director Helen Wooten, LCSW, and Medical Assistant Denise LaRosa review the PQH-9 questionnaire that is part of every patient visit at BCHC. The questionnaire helps clinical staff identify opportunities to provide emotional or behavioral health support in the primary care setting.
counseling session or two at BCHC is all someone needs.” Counseling in the primary care setting can be a preventive measure, as the encounter with the Behavioral Health Counselor may include learning coping strategies, such as relaxation, sleep hygiene and mindfulness skills. “There are times,” explained Ms. Wooten, “that we hope to decrease the likelihood of a person needing a higher level of services such as inpatient or intensive outpatient services. But, we also readily refer patients for psychotherapy and long-term counseling to one of the many excellent providers in Reading and Berks County.” “If the primary care provider sees that their patient is in need of mental health services, it really makes a difference if we can address that right away,” said Dr. Kelleher, pointing out that in today’s world, family doctors have become accustomed to treating mental health problems like depression and anxiety and prescribing appropriate medications. The BCHC program, Dr. Kelleher noted, has the services of consulting psychiatrist Dr. Amaro Reyes Garza. If patients do not respond to short-term counseling and/or medications, Dr. Reyes Garza consults with the counselor and primary care provider to determine the need for adjustments or more intensive, longer-term care programs. “Integrated services in the primary care setting are the future for community health centers,” said Dr. Kelleher. “Patients often face challenges in accessing specialist care, and behavioral health is just one example of how we strive to offer the care they need.”
One of busiest Emergency Departments in the state is in Berks County. Reading Hospital’s ER has averaged more than 130,000 visits per year recently, a significant number in a county with a population just over 400,000. ER physicians and primary care providers shared concerns that people over-utilize emergency services for sick visits and care of chronic problems that would be better handled in the primary care office. In 2014, BCHC won a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Health to help establish a “Walk-In Triage” service at 838 Penn Street. Along with federal funds supporting extended hours, the service targeted patients already established at the health center and people without a regular doctor. Health center hours were expanded until 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Starting after 5 p.m, patients who are sick are assessed and treated on a firstcome, first-served basis. Any patients more appropriate for Emergency Room care are quickly redirected to a local ER. The Walk-In Triage program grew quickly in 2015. The service, originally intended to be staffed by one nurse practitioner and support staff, now usually requires two providers each evening. A key component of the Walk-In program is patient education. Established patients have received letters, flyers and magnets promoting the expanded hours, and emphasizing that the primary care office is the right choice for everyday illness like colds and flu, and minor injuries. And for people whose only source of care has been a local Emergency Room or Urgent Care facility, Walk-In Triage at BCHC offers the ideal opportunity to turn their first, acute visit into a long-term relationship with a primary care provider at BCHC. While understanding that behavior does not change overnight, BCHC providers have seen Walk-In Triage making an impact on patient choices about where to go for care.
BRANCHING OUT 2015 ANNUAL REPORT
Nutrition Program Offers Innovative Approaches Dori Goulden and her patient settled comfortably across from each other in her office. “How have you been doing with reading food labels?” Ms. Goulden asked. “How about counting carbohydrates?” Surrounded by simple tools like a can of beans, measuring cups and a plate divided into portion sizes, BCHC’s Registered Dietitian reviewed the concepts they’d gone over during the previous visit. With a high incidence of diabetes and hypertension in Berks County, which is even higher in the city of Reading, in 2015 BCHC began establishing a multifaceted preventive health effort to tackle these chronic diseases from all angles. Nutrition is one approach. When BCHC at Oakbrook opened in August of 2015, one of the innovations designed into the building was a Healthy Eating room,
equipped with a kitchen and demonstration area that was funded by a grant from the Wyomissing Foundation. Ms. Goulden joined the BCHC staff shortly after, and established in-house nutritional services. Splitting her time between BCHC locations, she provides one-on-one nutrition planning and followup for patients. The hand-off from primary care provider to the BCHC dietitian is a simple one, which makes it more likely that patients will take advantage of the counseling services and continue with follow-up visits. With the help of the Outreach Department, Ms. Goulden also provides classes for the community. She has also organized an innovative “Walk and Talk With Dori,” program at BCHC at Oakbrook, which is open to patients and community alike. In good weather, once a
Registered Dietitian Dori Goulden helps patients understand how reading food labels and measuring portion sizes can help them achieve physical health goals like weight management and blood sugar control.
week she leads a group on a walk around the neighborhood, giving participants the chance to stay active while talking about healthy eating and exercise.
In the midst of a year when a new location opened and services expanded dramatically, BCHC also was recognized as a Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) by the National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA). To achieve PCMH recognition, which is valid for three years, BCHC demonstrated the ability to meet the program’s key elements. The NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home is a model of primary care that combines teamwork and information technology to improve care, improve patients’ experience of care and reduce costs. Medical homes foster ongoing partnerships between patients and their personal clinicians, instead of approaching care as the sum of episodic office visits. Each patient’s care is overseen by clinician-led care teams that coordinate treatment across the health care system. “NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition raises the bar in defining high-quality care by emphasizing access, health information technology and coordinated care focused on patients,” said NCQA President Margaret E. O’Kane in a statement. “Recognition shows that the organization has the tools, systems and resources to provide its patients with the right care, at the right time.” NCQA research shows that medical homes can lead to higher quality and lower costs, and can improve patient and provider reported experiences of care. NCQA standards are aligned with the joint PCMH principles established with the American College of Physicians, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Osteopathic Association. “Every member of our staff makes a contribution to PCMH recognition,” emphasized Mary Kargbo. “We have some of the best doctors, nurse practitioners and clinical support staff at BCHC. It is because of them that the health center was able to earn this national recognition.”
Free Pregnancy Testing Sparks Growth in Prenatal Care With a grant from the PA Department of Health to support increased access to prenatal services and newborn care, BCHC began offering free pregnancy testing to promote the services. OB/ GYN Dr. Nwogo Agbasi joined the health center’s provider staff on a part-time basis in 2015. With this key addition, BCHC was poised to offer care for high-risk pregnancies and complicated gynecological services. Dr. Agbasi’s arrival augmented the prenatal services that Dr. Tom Raff, obstetrics-trained family physician and faculty member with the Reading Health System’s Family Medicine
BERKS COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER
residency program, had been providing for low-risk pregnancies since BCHC opened. From her experience in private practice, Dr. Agbasi predicted that free pregnancy testing would bring many women to the health center for the service. When a pregnancy test was positive, that would be the perfect opportunity to make sure the woman got early prenatal care, either at BCHC or with her own OB/GYN. Her prediction was right. Somewhere between 30 and 50 women came in for a free pregnancy test each month. Prenatal care, including care for high risk pregnancies,
grew as a result, and by the end of 2015 34 new patients were receiving prenatal care at the health center. Dr. Agbasi has also been able to provide specialty gynecological care at the Penn Street health center, including in-office procedures, management of complex problems, and family planning services. Having a comprehensive OB/GYN program, she points out, establishes the relationships that encourage women to get prenatal care early – a factor that greatly improves the chances for a healthy pregnancy and delivery for moms and babies.
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BRANCHING OUT Fighting Diabetes With Specialty Care Podiatry - Standing Up to Diabetes With Foot Care When Podiatrist Dr. Noahleen Betts joined BCHC in 2015, she saw patients four hours a week. Soon, it was eight. As the year came to an end, demand for her services was so high that she agreed to become a full-time provider at the health center, seeing patients at both locations. The fight to prevent complications from diabetes, as well as other foot problems, had become a full-time job at BCHC. The 2013 health needs assessment reported that 19% of people in Reading have a diagnosis of diabetes. Patients with diabetes are at risk for developing diabetic neuropathy – loss of feeling in their feet. Coupled with possible poor circulation in the legs, the damage can bring on complications like trouble walking, infected sores or cuts and, in the worst cases, amputation of toes, feet or limbs. BCHC’s family physicians and nurse practitioners routinely refer diabetic patients for foot care with a podiatrist, and having the specialty care on site means patients are seen sooner and more frequently right at their own doctor’s office. Diabetic patients are ideally scheduled for a foot check every
Foot care is important at every age, Dr. Noahleen Betts emphasizes. Patients with chronic health conditions like diabetes should see a podiatrist regularly, while other patients may have occasional foot problems that can be treated at BCHC.
nine weeks or so. Dr. Betts stresses the important of taking tender care of their feet in between visits – checking every day for cuts or irritation that could become infected, and keeping them clean, dry and protected.
Best of all, podiatry services at BCHC are not limited to diabetic care. Whether it is an infected, fungal or ingrown toenail, corns and calluses, or foot pain, BCHC patients now have access to the specialized care they need.
Optometry – Keeping An Eye On Eye Health As 2015 drew to a close, vision care at BCHC was getting ready to open. Optometrist Dr. Elizabeth Diener began seeing patients with a special emphasis on preventing complications from diabetes. As with Podiatry, primary care providers want diabetic patients to have regular visits with an eye doctor. Diabetics are at risk for developing diabetic retinopathy, which is damage to the blood vessels in the retina, at the back of the eye. The most severe retinopathy can cause loss of vision, and even blindness. There is also increased risk of problems like glaucoma or cataracts. Keeping blood sugar under good control is the most important factor in preventing retinopathy. The second is regular vision exams, at least once a year, in order to detect any developing problems. Dr. Elizabeth Diener’s optometry services at BCHC make eye care convenient and accessible for all patients, whether they need to monitor potential problems related to chronic disease, or want to have routine vision exams.
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“With our vision services, nutritional counseling and podiatry, we are building a full approach to diabetic care that is so important for the community we serve,” said Mary Kargbo, BCHC CEO. “Reducing the barriers to convenient, accessible and affordable care is at the core of our mission. Our Board and staff were so engaged in this approach to diabetic care. I’m so proud of how these services have developed.”
BRANCHING OUT 2015 ANNUAL REPORT
BERKS COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER
Providers Mary Kelleher, MD, MPH Chief Medical Officer
Elena Ackah, MD Family Physician
Nwogo Agbasi, MD OB/GYN
Judith Awurumibe, CRNP Nurse Practitioner
Noahleen Betts, DPM Podiatrist
Tara Burgon, CRNP Nurse Practitioner
D. Nichelle Cashe, CRNP Nurse Practitioner
Elizabeth Diener, OD Optometrist
Dori Goulden, RD Dietitian
Xequiel Hernandez, MD Family Physician
Kesia Kibue, CRNP Nurse Practitioner
Mackenzie Mady, DO Family Physician
Thomas Raff, MD Family Medicine/Obstetrics
Amaro Reyes Garza, MD Consulting Psychiatrist
Oumar Sano, CRNP Nurse Practitioner
Joseph Sekulski, DC Chiropractor
Jeannie Stephen, CRNP Nurse Practitioner
Helen Wooten, LCSW Director of Behavioral Health
Ronald Vandegriff, DO Family Physician
BERKS COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER
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BRANCHING OUT Community Day 2015 – Healthy Fun Crowds again enjoyed free health screenings and fun for kids during Community Day at BCHC at Penn Street during National Health Center Week.
Dance contest capped off the afternoon. Even the mascots joined in!
Thanks to BTI students for blood pressure screening and massages.
(L to R) State Senator Judy Schwank, State Representative Tom Caltagirone, CEO Mary Kargbo, Board Chair Nick Marmontello and Mayor Vaughn Spencer enjoyed presentations.
Berks Community Health Center is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), and receives grant funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Bureau of Primary Health Care, under the Health Center Program as authorized by section 330 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b) and is a Deemed FTCA (Federal Tort Claims Act) facility under 42 U.S.C. 233(g)-(n).
BCHC staff and their families volunteered, like (L to R) Yamille Tavarez, Willy Santiago and Nellie Martir.
BCHC is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and all donations are tax deductible. BCHC2015AR_0716