Too often, hospitals or large practices with multiple buildings get the bulk of attention, which unfortunately overlooks Community Health Centers and the good work they are doing across the country.
What Is a Community-Based Health Center?
Too often, hospitals or large practices with multiple buildings get the bulk of attention, which unfortunately overlooks Community Health Centers and the good work they are doing across the country.
This year’s theme is “The Roadmap to a Stronger America,” and each day has a special focus. To learn more about the initiatives and what you can do in your area to promote awareness, click one or more of the links below for the days you would like to participate:August 6–12, 2023, is National Health Center Week, a time designated “to highlight the commitment and passion of Community Health Center staff, board members, and supporters who make it possible to provide quality, comprehensive healthcare services to more than 30 million patients across 14,500 communities annually.”
- Sunday, 8/6: Public Health in Housing Day
- Monday, 8/7: Healthcare for the Homeless Day
- Tuesday, 8/8: Agricultural Worker Health Day
- Wednesday, 8/9: Patient Appreciation Day
- Thursday, 8/10: Stakeholder Appreciation Day
- Friday, 8/11: Health Center Staff Appreciation Day
- Saturday, 8/12: Children’s Health Day
The Mission of a Community Health Center
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, responsible for protecting the health of Americans, defines Community Health Centers as “community-based and patient-directed organizations that serve populations with limited access to healthcare.”
Community Health Centers provide high-quality medical care to people who may not have access to treatment in order to improve wellbeing and alleviate social disparities in local communities. These centers often go beyond the conventional healthcare delivery system to prevent illness and address issues that may cause poor health — such as poverty, nutrition, mental illness, or homelessness.
According to the National Association of Community Health Centers, the mission of these centers is to remove any barriers to medical care so that patients can receive the help they need and deserve.
What else does a Community Health Center do?
Center staff typically provide education classes or workshops to promote health awareness and disease prevention. Additionally, they might provide transportation for those without vehicles or those who live in remote areas, translation services for patients who do not speak English, food or housing security for those whose situation contributes to potential illness, and access to other social services that would improve health outcomes.
While a Community Health Center has a central location in the local area, it might also deliver medical care in other ways. For example, a bus that travels and delivers mobile dental care or a blood drive at a rec center, health fair, or church are all a part of community-based health.
The medical providers at these centers are friendly faces, neighbors dedicated to the community and thus empowered to treat populations who may have lost trust in traditional healthcare institutions.
Many patients in these populations require infusion therapy for various illnesses such as immune deficiencies, arthritis, and hepatitis. They might need regular dialysis treatment for kidney disease which can be the result of conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes and lupus. Whatever the ailment, Community Health Centers understand that everyone deserves affordable, accessible, high-quality primary care.
What else do these patients need?
On our Champions of Care podcast, we spoke with Katie Morgan, Director of Quality and Standards at the National Infusion Center Association (NICA), to discuss how to increase patient access to affordable, high quality care. NICA works to get the nation’s most vulnerable citizens access to high-quality care in a safe and economical community-based setting.
When it comes to equipment like beds, wheelchairs and seating, even lobby furniture, there are best practices from different professional associations that Community Health Centers can comb from.
The fact that health centers are community-based and patient-directed means they aren’t one size fits all. Their services are tailored to the community and the staff cater to individual patient needs. Still, the providers and patients at these centers want safe, fully-functional products, engineered for comfort, access, and years of use. That’s where Champion comes in.
What do health centers want for their medical spaces?
Like any medical facility, health centers want patient-centered, cost-effective, innovative solutions.
NICA’s Katie Morgan notes that Champion chairs, in addition to premium comfort and clean-ability, have purposefully been designed for safety and ease of patient transfer and access — and much more.
Engineered to create efficiencies in cleaning and disinfection, Champion seating is upholstered with medical-grade material that withstands the rigorous demands set by cleaning and disinfection protocol.
Champion’s Classic is an economical recliner which has a rock-solid steel frame and heavy-duty casters, making it ideal for a variety of applications and environments. Commonly used in dialysis settings, the Classic’s infinite recline positions and either stationary or swing-away arms provide optimal patient comfort and better access for caregivers. With fold-away tables, foot trays and quick-release seats, caregivers get more versatility and convenience from a medical recliner.
Safety. Comfort. Access. Convenience. Quality.
Champion salutes health centers across the country and applauds the selfless people who work to provide safe, comfortable, accessible, and convenient quality medical care to their local community.
Champion seating solutions are built for the same: Safety. Comfort. Access. Convenience. Quality.
Regardless of size, location, and type — every medical facility needs seating solutions that meet the needs of their patients and providers.
Browse our collections, then contact us to learn how our products can meet the needs of your medical space.
