Berks Community Health Center Recognized as Health Center Quality Leader for Fourth Consecutive Year

For the fourth consecutive year, Berks Community Health Center (BCHC) has been recognized by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) as a Gold Health Center Quality Leader. This prestigious honor is awarded to the top 10% of the over 1,400 Federally Qualified Health Centers in the country for overall clinical quality. Earning this Gold recognition for the fourth year in a row demonstrates BCHC’s continuing commitment to meeting the healthcare needs of the Berks community.

Mary Kargbo, BCHC President and CEO, said, “I am running out of words to express my pride in our staff for earning this recognition a fourth consecutive year. It is due to their tireless work, showing up every day and caring for every patient who walks through our doors, that we achieve this recognition.” Dr. Karen Wang, BCHC’s Chief Medical Officer, echoed Mrs. Kargbo’s sentiments. “We have an amazing team of healthcare providers who care deeply for our patients. It takes our entire team – greeters, patient service reps, medical assistants, nurses, providers, and support staff – to do what we do, and every member of our staff should be proud of this recognition.”

BCHC first opened in 2012 and today operates three brick-and-mortar sites and one mobile unit. Kargbo, who recently announced she will be retiring from BCHC in September, continued, “When BCHC was founded fourteen years ago, we may have hoped we would one day achieve Gold, but we never imagined we would do so four straight years. It is a testament to the foundation we have built here, and I am encouraged that BCHC will continue to provide excellent care for years to come.”

This award is part of the Community Health Quality Recognition (CHQR) program, recognizing health centers with badges for their success. In addition to earning a Gold Health Center Quality Leader, BCHC once again was recognized as a National Quality Leader for Behavioral Health, Preventative Health, and Advancing Health Information Technology. For the first time, BCHC was recognized as a National Quality Leader for Diabetes Health.

• National Quality Leader for Behavioral Health – To earn the NQL – Behavioral Health badge, a health center must meet or exceed at least two of the following three targets:
  • 18.0% of patients with depression achieve remission at twelve months
  • 85.8% of patients are screened for depression and given a follow-up plan
  • At least 5.0% of all patients receive Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT)
• National Quality Leader for Diabetes Health – Recognizes health centers that meet or exceed two of the three measure targets:
  • 86.0% of adult patients receive a BMI screening and follow-up plan85.0% of children and adolescents receive weight assessment and counseling for nutrition and physical activity
  • No more than 11.6% of patients with diabetes have poorly controlled HbA1c (above 9.0%)
• Preventative Health – Recognizes health centers that meet or exceed national targets in at least five of ten key preventive care measures:
  • Dental sealants for children ages 6–9, weight assessment and counseling for nutrition and physical activity in children and adolescents, childhood lead test screening (ages 9–72 months), childhood development screenings and evaluations (ages 0–5), screening for depression and follow-up plan, tobacco use screening and cessation intervention, adult BMI screening and follow-up plan, breast cancer screening, cervical cancer screening, colorectal cancer screening
• The Advancing Health Information Technology (HIT) for Quality Badge – Recognizes health centers that use technology to expand care and improve outcomes. Criteria include offering telehealth services, securely sharing clinical information with other providers, engaging patients through digital tools, and collecting data on patient health-related needs.

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