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Health center seeks to raise awareness about its mission

VNA Health Care is marking National Health Center Week Aug. 10-16 to raise awareness about the mission and accomplishments of America's Health Centers as local solutions for affordable and accessible health care.

Throughout the month of August, VNA will provide thousands of low-cost school physicals, along with other vital primary care for adults and children, through its nine community health centers and mobile health van.

One of the bright spots in America's health care system, Community Health Centers have traditionally drawn praise from bipartisan members of Congress, as well as the White House. The Community Health Center safety net serves more than 22 million people across the country and has been successful in:

• Reducing income and ethnic health disparities nationwide, even in the poorest and most challenged communities;

• Producing $24 billion in annual health system savings;

• Reducing unnecessary hospitalizations and unnecessary visits to the emergency room;

• Generating a system of preventive medicine that patients use regularly to stay healthy, thus saving lives.

The theme for National Health Center Week 2014 is "Celebrating America's Health Centers: Local Engines for Healthier Communities," which underscores how health centers deliver quality care while serving as critical economic engines helping to power local economies. As community owned and operated businesses, health centers employ hundreds of thousands of individuals at about 9,000 delivery sites across the nation.

"Health centers are a proven model that has delivered multiple returns on the public and private investment for the past 50 years," said Linnea Windel, president/CEO of VNA Health Care.

"We provide a patient-centered medical home for the community that addresses the local needs and fosters a healthier community. VNA Health Care is nationally ranked as a top-performing health center as a result of patient outcomes such as high quality prenatal care, control of diabetes, and up-to-date immunizations for children. VNA's combination of convenience (by appointment or walk-in), patient-centered technology and expert care delivered with respect and compassion have led to these results. Our patients not only get the care they need under one roof, they are treated as individuals, with dignity and respect. This belief is what we celebrate during National Health Center Week."

VNA Health Care provides affordable health care to more than 59,600 women, men and children living primarily in Kane, DuPage, and Will counties.

VNA runs nine community health centers called Federally Qualified Health Centers which have received national recognition by Health Resources and Services Administration for exceeding national quality standards in family practice, OB/GYN and pediatric health services.

VNA employs a team of more than 400 physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, rehabilitation therapists, registered dietitians, medical social workers and support personnel. In addition to the Health Centers, VNA offers home care and hospice services. For more information, call VNA at (630) 978-2532 or visit www.vnahealth.com.

To learn more about the mission and accomplishments of Community Health Centers, visit the website of the National Association of Community Health Centers at www.nachc.org.

To find out more about National Health Center Week, visit www.healthcenterweek.org. Use #NHCW2014 to follow and join in the conversation.

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