Title
To declare the week of August 7th through 13th, 2016 as National Health Center Week in the City of Columbus.
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WHEREAS, America’s Community Health Centers, for over 50 years, have provided high quality, cost effective, and accessible primary and preventative care to individuals regardless of their health insurance status or their ability to pay; and
WHEREAS, Health Centers serve as the health care home for over 23 million Americans - having more than 9,000 delivery sites across the nation; in fact one in every fifteen people living in the United States depends on these services; and
WHEREAS, Health Centers are typically located in medically underserved areas and are controlled locally by patient-majority boards, thus making each Health Center responsive to the needs of the specific community that it serves; and
WHEREAS, more than 11,300 physicians, more than 8,400 nurse practitioners, physicians assistants, and certified nurse midwives are employed by Health Centers as part of a multi-disciplinary clinical team designed to treat the whole patient - coordinating care, managing chronic disease, while reducing unnecessary, avoidable and wasteful uses of health resources at the same time; and
WHEREAS, Health Centers save the American health system approximately $24 billion annually through the management of chronic conditions that keep patients out of costlier health care settings; and
WHEREAS, National Health Center Week offers the opportunity to recognize America’s Health Centers, their dedicated staff, their committed board members, and all of the individuals who are responsible for continuing the success and growth of America’s Health Centers since they were first created more than 50 years ago; moreover during National Health Center Week 2016, we will celebrate the legacy of America’s Health Centers and their vital role in shaping the future of America’s healthcare system; and
WHEREAS, this year the City of Columbus will applaud and celebrate PrimaryOne Health during National Health Center Week specifically because of the impact that PrimaryOne Health has made upon the residents and communities in Central Ohio as well as recognize the extraordinary efforts of the physicians, nurse practitioners, physicians assistants, certified midwives and the numerous critical team members who continue to work together to improve the quality of healthcare for those living in the City of Columbus and Central Ohio, now therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS: That this Council does hereby recognize the importance of America’s Community Health Centers and hereby declares August 7th through August 13th, 2016 as National Health Center Week in the City of Columbus.