CHANGING LIVES
OUR COMMUNITY REPORT 20/21
“ WE HAVE THE AUDACITY TO BELIEVE THAT THE SIMPLE ACT OF CARING HAS THE POWER TO CHANGE OUR PATIENTS’ LIVES.” TASHA BLACKMON, PRESIDENT & CEO
CHERRY HEALTH | COMMUNITY REPORT 20/21
TABLE OF CONTENTS 03 Cherry Health Governing Board Members 05 Introduction: Life-Changing Lifestyle Care 06 General Overview: Serving Our Community 09 CEO Letter: Expanding Access 10 20/21 Year In Review: Patient Satisfaction Survey 12 20/21 Year In Review: Overview 13 20/21 Year In Review: Vision & Dental Services
Cherry Health Governing Board of Directors
Scott Alfree, President David Smith, Vice President Hal Overly, Treasurer Barbara Wybrecht, Secretary Maggie McGuinness, Director-at-Large
14 20/21 Year In Review: Women’s Health Services/ Maternal Infant Health Program
Gwynn Bult
17 20/21 Year In Review: COVID-19 Response
Carol Dickinson
18 Highlight: Expanded Pharmacy Services in COVID-19 21 Highlight: AmeriCorps Expanded Reach Out and Read 22 Highlight: From Moment to Movement: Addressing Racial Inequity in Health Care 24 Research
R. Paul Clodfelder Jennifer Flotka Kimberly Lavender Shaloria Mitchell Francena Purchase-Owens Ziyadah Shakir Richard Stevens
25 Awards
Allison Swets
26 Foundation: Essential Support
Allen Ten Hoor
29 Foundation: A Big Thank You 30 Concluding Note: Always Here for You
Mission, Vision, Our Quadruple Aim
Elizabeth Triezenberg Angela Vander Hulst Shoran Reid Williams
Our Fiscal Year ran from April 1st, 2020 - March 31st, 2021.
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HIGHLIGHT Vivian holding her newborn son, Donald.
CHERRY HEALTH | COMMUNITY REPORT 20/21
INTRODUCTION LIFE-CHANGING LIFESTYLE CARE Vivian Jones’ story is a journey into life, and one that lights a path to health and hope for all of us.
When Vivian came to Cherry Health, she was nearly 300 pounds and dealing with anxiety—she was worried about dying. Through access to comprehensive health care at Cherry Health, Vivian was able to manage her anxiety with proper medication, but that was not all. After seeing a gastrointestinal (GI) tract specialist for digestive discomfort and determining that all was well internally, she switched tracks and saw a nutritionist. With support, she learned to eat healthier, and lost 160 pounds. Once she felt better, Vivian not only felt less anxious and had less stomach pain but was also surprised to experience her dream come true: pregnancy. After 10 years of marriage and nearly a year working with her Cherry Health team, Vivian became pregnant. With a smile on her face, Vivian recounts telling her family and friends that she was going to have a baby: “Everyone is calling me on the phone like, ‘You’re pregnant?!’ They didn’t believe it, even my husband didn’t believe it. After I found out I was pregnant, everything shut down because of COVID-19.” Vivian tells the story of being nervous to experience her first pregnancy in a pandemic, and how supported she felt by her Cherry Health Maternal Infant Health Program (MIHP) team. Her phone appointments were her favorite; she could not believe that every week she received multiple phone calls from her primary nurse, her lactation consultant, and other team members, and that normally these phone appointments would have been in-person home visits. She was soon texting her care team all the time, and they were extremely responsive and supportive. Vivian says she and her family would not be where they are today without Cherry Health, and she is so grateful that Cherry Health team members have played such important roles on her journey to health and motherhood.
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CHERRY HEALTH | COMMUNITY REPORT 20/21
GENERAL OVERVIEW SERVING OUR COMMUNITY Since 1970, when Cherry Health was known as Neighborhood Health Services, we have made it our goal to serve those in the community who would otherwise have a difficult time accessing health care, regardless of their ability to pay. In 2020 alone, Cherry Health facilities served 56,098 patients—9,529 of whom were new—during 461,701 visits. 21% of them were uninsured.
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One of our primary aims is to increase access to preventative health care. In implementing prescreening services, and ensuring the underserved and those without insurance have access to the care they need, Cherry Health both helps West Michigan communities stay healthy and live well, and saves the health care system nearly $90 million every year by reducing unnecessary inpatient hospitalizations and emergency room use. We are a nonprofit, and the largest Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Michigan. Serving six counties, our services include primary care, women’s health, pediatrics, dental, vision, behavioral health, and five school-based health centers. Cherry Health also runs a schoollinked program active in 70 public schools. Here at Cherry Health, we have a sliding fee payment scale, and Medicaid and Healthy Michigan are accepted, as are many other insurance plans.
We serve patients at more than 20 locations throughout Michigan.
Cherry Health facilities served 56,098 patients—9,529 of whom were new—during 461,701 visits.
21% of our patients were uninsured.
HIGHLIGHT Well-child visits are essential for many reasons, including tracking growth and developmental milestones.
HIGHLIGHT Tasha Blackmon, President and CEO of Cherry Health. Photo by Mia Jankowiak
CHERRY HEALTH | COMMUNITY REPORT 20/21
CEO LETTER EXPANDING ACCESS In March 2020, our world was forever changed. Together, we set off on a challenging path that we are still traversing over a year later. Looking back at all that we have accomplished, as well as ahead to challenges and opportunities that await us, I am inspired by the resilience, tenacity, and compassion of our teams at Cherry Health. I am humbled by the many individuals and organizations in our community who have stepped up to support their neighbors. My hope is that we will leverage the coordinated response witnessed throughout the pandemic to create a more fair and inclusive community for all.
In the last year, Cherry Health expanded access to health care in new and exciting ways. We rapidly deployed telemedicine where no system had existed before, completing over 170,000 virtual visits and counting. Blood pressure cuffs were sent directly to the homes of hypertensive patients, so they did not have to choose between health and safety. Curbside pharmacy pickup was established so patients could collect their prescriptions with minimal risk. Our COVID-19 testing efforts were among our largest undertakings. Since the epidemic’s onset, we have administered over 14,000 COVID-19 tests and are excited to be providing drive-through COVID-10 vaccinations to eligible individuals. The COVID-19 pandemic illuminated the disparities many under-resourced individuals face in having their basic needs met. Health centers like Cherry Health ensure barrier-free access to comprehensive healthcare regardless of an individual’s insurance status or ability to pay. Over the next few years, our team will be laser focused on moving the needle in three distinct areas: Chronic disease management with a focus on diabetes treatment and prevention; Behavioral Health through the implementation of the collaborative care model to further integrate mental health into primary care while reducing stigma; and supporting women, infants, and children from the family planning stage to adverse childhood experiences, providing kids in adolescence with the support they need to heal physically and mentally. When the world changed, it changed in a way that brought the work of Federally Qualified Health Centers like Cherry Health to the forefront of the national conversation. As COVID-19 caused early devastation to communities of color and those with certain chronic conditions, it threw into relief the critical work of providing comprehensive healthcare to economically and racially diverse populations. We are proud to have served our community for over 30 years. The past year has seen us adjust, innovate, and evolve so we can continue to serve our patients with quality health care. Thank you for walking alongside us then, now, and always.
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CHERRY HEALTH | COMMUNITY REPORT 20/21
20/21 YEAR IN REVIEW PATIENT SATISFACTION SURVEY 96%
I FEEL HEARD, UNDERSTOOD, AND RESPECTED MY PHONE CALLS ARE RESPONDED TO IN A TIMELY MANNER
95%
SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE AT TIMES THAT ARE GOOD FOR ME
95%
I HAD INPUT INTO MY TREATMENT PLAN
95% 97%
STAFF HELPED ME UNDERSTAND MY SPECIFIC GOALS FOR MY HEALTH MY EXPERIENCE ACCESSING CARE DURING EVENINGS, WEEKENDS, OR HOLIDAY WAS A GOOD ONE STAFF FOLLOWED UP WITH ME REGARDING ANY TEST RESULTS WHEN I NEEDED TO BE NOTIFIED
96%
I AM SATISFIED WITH THE TREATMENT I RECEIVED FROM MY PROVIDER
97%
I WOULD RECOMMEND MY PROVIDER TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY
97%
I WOULD RECOMMEND CHERRY HEALTH TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY
97%
I FEEL I AM RECEIVING THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF SERVICES
97%
THIS OFFICE DOES NOT WASTE MY TIME THE TREATMENT I RECEIVED WAS A GOOD VALUE
Overall 2020 Patient Satisfaction Survey score.
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93%
95% 97%
HIGHLIGHT Keeping patient comfort and satisfaction at the heart of Cherry Health.
CHERRY HEALTH | COMMUNITY REPORT 20/21
20/21 YEAR IN REVIEW OVERVIEW
261,318 mental health/ substance use visits.
89,569 medical visits.
Increased childhood immunizations by 13%, leading all other FQHCs in the state of Michigan.
Increased lead screening by 39%.
Cured 30 hepatitis C patients.
34 patients received PrEP treatment to prevent HIV.
Cherry Health’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provided services to 152 employers throughout Michigan and the US, covering 33,725 employees and totaling 1,716 counseling hours.
6,536 enabling services, including case management. (8,373 including Insurance Assistance and AmeriCorps services.)
Increased medication assisted treatment prescriptions for opioid use disorder by 40% and decreased opioid prescriptions by 21%.
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CHERRY HEALTH | COMMUNITY REPORT 20/21
20/21 YEAR IN REVIEW VISION & DENTAL SERVICES
9,944 total vision visits.
1,313 individuals with diabetes received dilated diabetic eye exams.
7,865 pairs of glasses provided to patients in need.
49,328 total dental visits.
2,201 emergency walk-ins.
8,624 preventative visits (cleaning).
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CHERRY HEALTH | COMMUNITY REPORT 20/21
20/21 YEAR IN REVIEW WOMEN’S HEALTH SERVICES/ MATERNAL INFANT HEALTH PROGRAM
Screened 1,256 women for breast cancer through mammograms.
1,236 patients received assistance through Cherry Health’s MIHP, including 544 mothers and 692 babies.
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Screened 1,368 women for cervical cancer through pap smears.
HIGHLIGHT Women’s health and wellness is a key focus at Cherry Health.
HIGHLIGHT A medical provider administers a vaccine to a patient.
CHERRY HEALTH | COMMUNITY REPORT 20/21
20/21 YEAR IN REVIEW COVID-19 RESPONSE Cherry Health visited migrant farms, in collaboration with the state of Michigan as well as the Kent County Health Department, to test as many as 400 people for COVID-19 in a single day. We partnered with urban churches to provide testing during a food giveaway, and hosted a testing event in conjunction with the Greater Grand Rapids NAACP. Cherry Health has broadened its reach, going directly to the hardest-hit ZIP codes. The work is nonstop.
Completed 14,454 COVID-19 tests, 11% of which were positive.
Administered 4,709 COVID-19 vaccines.
Enrolled 456 individuals in Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 Vaccine Phase 3 Clinical Trial called ENSEMBLE Study. Cherry Health’s trial site was in the top 10% of all recruiting sites in the United States.
Telehealth visits broken down by service line: •
•
Gave 23,391 masks to patients and community members.
04,287 kept Behavioral Health 1 Telehealth Appointments 3,167 kept Medical 7 Telehealth Appointments
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CHERRY HEALTH | COMMUNITY REPORT 20/21
HIGHLIGHT EXPANDED PHARMACY SERVICES IN COVID-19 After COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, every Friday Socorro Godoy, a Cherry Health Community Health Worker, generated a list of patients who had not been able to obtain their prescriptions, and made phone calls. Knowing that many Cherry Health patients could not access the pharmacy without public transportation, Godoy was determined to help. In each call, she not only would check in with patients about filling prescriptions, but also about their social determinants of health, including food insecurity, housing instability, domestic violence, and more. Then resourcing and solutions would start. “Cherry Health’s pharmacy services are essential to achieve the quality metrics we’re seeing,” said Dr. Brett Gingrich, Cherry Health’s Director of Pharmacy Services. “Our teams, including innovators like Socorro Godoy, are constantly working to eliminate barriers so that patients have access to affordable medications to keep them healthy. That means knowing each patient, each provider, each personal situation to serve the most vulnerable among us. Philanthropy, advocacy, and using the resources we have to help our patients are essential, now and always.” Cherry Health is proud to have expanded our pharmacy services to include curbside pickup, and the mailing and delivering of prescriptions to meet the needs of our community members. Cherry Health never slowed down during the pandemic, but rather innovated daily to provide continuous care for every patient, regardless of circumstance.
79,325 prescriptions picked up.
340B Discount Program for our patients – 19,988 prescriptions.
COVID-19 Deliveries •
1,365 prescription deliveries
(3,896 prescriptions total).
•
Cherry Health donated
327 blood pressure cuffs (71 were delivered to patient homes).
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HIGHLIGHT During COVID-19, Cherry Health expanded pharmacy services.
HIGHLIGHT A mother reads a book to her young daughter thanks to the AmeriCorps Reach Out and Read Program here at Cherry Health.
CHERRY HEALTH | COMMUNITY REPORT 20/21
HIGHLIGHT AMERICORPS EXPANDED REACH OUT AND READ “ When I started with Cherry Health AmeriCorps in 2018,” says Elliott Grant, AmeriCorps member, “there were six Cherry Health sites participating in Reach Out and Read in Kent and Montcalm Counties. With financial support from the PNC Foundation, we were able to expand programming to the Maternal Infant Health Program and provide books at more pediatric appointments. This expansion now includes newborns through five months of age because, even before reading comprehension develops, infants can use sturdy board books to learn how to interact with the world. Now serving 800 households, MIHP provides new moms with resources such as baby care items and breastfeeding support, and now can also deliver brandnew books directly to patients’ homes.”
Cherry Health is proud to partner with AmeriCorps. In addition to expanding Reach Out and Read so that patients under six years of age have access to the imaginative spaces and learning opportunities that books offer, in the past year AmeriCorps members: • Provided 3,621 interpretations for a total of 755 hours of interpreting so that Cherry Health can achieve our mission of serving all members of our community • Assisted 134 people with Outreach and Enrollment • Provided health education to 140 participants • Aided the Women’s Health Network by making 2,414 reminder calls and scheduling 1,313 mammograms • Aided the Maternal Infant Health Program by making 6,937 reminder calls, updating 796 immunizations for mothers, and updating 677 immunizations for infants • Assisted the Patient Pantry by acquiring 12,218 pounds of food and helping 819 patients access the pantry Cherry Health AmeriCorps members serve the community by addressing critical health issues and improving access to care for underserved populations.
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CHERRY HEALTH | COMMUNITY REPORT 20/21
HIGHLIGHT “FROM MOMENT TO MOVEMENT” ADDRESSING RACIAL INEQUITY IN HEALTH CARE As the pandemic has unfolded, the CDC has highlighted the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on communities of color, as seen in case numbers, deaths, and social consequence. The pandemic has called attention to what those of us in health care and at Cherry Health have known and witnessed for years: Racism is systemic and causes inequitable health care.
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Eager to join the conversation about social determinants of health, Cherry Health leaders hosted a virtual panel discussion on Juneteenth 2020, “Shifting from Moment to Movement.” The livestream event, which featured local leaders and change agents, focused on continuing the conversation around the Black Lives Matter movement, policing and policy changes, and organizational diversity and inclusion, with the goal of providing perspective on moving beyond the inequities in our community. Cherry Health leaders also joined Black Impact Collaborative for a virtual community conversation about the pandemic’s impact on the Black community and the COVID-19 vaccine. Conversations like these have begun to shift the narrative on racism in our community. Each of us has the power to decide if we go back to “normal” after the events of this past year. The other option is to be honest about our own growth opportunities and become more intentional about our contribution to the healing, peace, and unity needed in our communities. The disruption we have been experiencing across the nation has the potential to birth a movement for the betterment of society. Community health centers like Cherry Health were birthed out of the civil rights movement in the 1960s to address healthcare disparities. The goal of health centers, at that time, was to care for everyone, regardless of who they are, where they come from, or their ability to pay. Some 60 years later, our charge remains the same: to work toward a future where quality health care is a reality for all. Cherry Health continues to actively work to reduce health disparities in our community and provide care for all.
HIGHLIGHT Elizabeth Henderson proudly displays her COVID-19 vaccine sticker on her wallet for everyone to see.
CHERRY HEALTH | COMMUNITY REPORT 20/21
RESEARCH IMPROVING PATIENT LIVES “Patient Attitudes Toward Telepsychiatry During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A National, Multisite Survey” was published in “JMIR Mental Health” Cherry Health’s research team worked on a survey to assess patient experience of telepsychiatry during COVID-19, and found that, overall, participants liked telepsychiatry (either audio/visual or telephone only), the lack of commute, and flexible scheduling. They, however, missed the intimacy of in-person appointments. 64.2% would like to continue some form of telepsychiatry in the future even as in-person appointments are made available. Results from the PRELAPSE study were published in “JAMA Psychiatry” 2020 “JAMA Psychiatry” is the premiere psychiatry journal in the world. The title of the paper was “Effect of Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics vs Usual Care on Time to First Hospitalization in Early-Phase Schizophrenia.” This study found that using the long-acting antipsychotic aripiprazole monohydrate delayed time to relapse and hospitalization compared to treatment as usual in the community. Findings from the Genomic Psychiatry Cohort study were published in three influential journals: “Molecular Psychiatry” 2020 (Top 5 psychology journal) “American Journal of Human Genetics” 2019 (Cited over 65 times) “Schizophrenia Bulletin” 2020 (#1 schizophrenia journal)
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CHERRY HEALTH | COMMUNITY REPORT 20/21
AWARDS FRUITS OF OUR LABOR “ We couldn’t be more thrilled to be a member of the Gold Club. We’re keeping people out of the emergency room. We’re improving the quality of life for our patients through our intervention. We’re adding years to lives— and to families—as a result.” – Tasha Blackmon, President and CEO
Health Center Quality Leader (Gold Level) 2020 Awardee Health Center Quality Leaders achieved the best overall clinical performance among all health centers and were recognized in the following tiers: • Gold (top 10%), 2020 • Silver (top 11-20%), 2019 Advancing HIT for Quality (2020 Awardee) Advancing Health Information Technology (HIT) for Quality Awards recognized health centers that optimized HIT services for advancing telehealth, patient engagement, interoperability, and collection of social determinants of health to increase access to care and advance quality of care between 2018 and 2019. 2020 GOLD performers with the American Heart Association/American Medical Association For achieving 70% blood pressure control. Award recipient Cherry Health sites: Barry Community Health Center, Burton Health Center, Cherry Street Health Center, Heart of the City Health Center Adult Medicine, Heart of the City Health Center Durham Clinic, Montcalm Area Health Center, Westside Health Center, and Wyoming Community Health Center. Eight Priority Health Awards Burton Health Center, Cherry Street Health Center, Durham Clinic and Pediatrics, Heart of the City Health Center Adult Medicine, Montcalm Area Health Center, Westside Health Center Family Medicine and Pediatrics and Wyoming Community Health Center.
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CHERRY HEALTH | COMMUNITY REPORT 20/21
FOUNDATION ESSENTIAL SUPPORT Cherry Health Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Cherry Health. Its purpose is to cultivate community awareness, trust, and financial investment, and to share the Cherry Health story to inspire appreciation, engagement, and support in its mission. With preventative care costing far less than emergency care, studies have shown that Federally Qualified Health Centers save the national health system approximately $24 billion each year. Unfortunately, the care that achieves the best outcomes is not always reimbursed. Therefore, Cherry Health runs an operating deficit in order to provide excellent care rather than “better than nothing” care. Through Cherry Health Foundation, our community comes together to provide essential financial support for health care solutions that work. With these partnerships, we are able to: • Fill the gap between actual costs and reimbursements. • Finance the startup of new programs that are designed to improve patient and community health. • Raise capital funds to make necessary investments in our facilities and systems. Donations impact the lives of over 56,000 Cherry Health patients throughout Michigan. Ninety-six percent of our health center patients, for whom income data was obtained, are impoverished or below minimum wage. An Example of Philanthropy: The Blue Butterfly Fund “We wanted to find ways to support the families of people serving communities in need. The challenges that face Cherry Health patient families do not spare the nurses, billers, screeners, hygienists and the many others who work to heal them. Our gift launched the Blue Butterfly Fund (BBF), anonymously established with Cherry Health Foundation, to aid Cherry Health staff in times of financial hardship. To ‘help the people who are helping people.’ We give because good mental and physical health creates an intensely positive ripple effect. By recognizing the humanity of the staff in this gift, we toss in our stone of hope. Good health outcomes for patients will ensue, from caring for the care team. We want to honor the journey we are all walking, together.” – Anonymous Donors
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HIGHLIGHT Support and compassion are the foundation of Cherry Health.
HIGHLIGHT Dr. & Mrs. Michael & Elizabeth Joy Fossel Donors and Cherry Health Foundation Trustee.
CHERRY HEALTH | COMMUNITY REPORT 20/21
FOUNDATION A BIG THANK YOU “We are honored to support Cherry Health for so many reasons. Not only is Cherry Health an effective, compassionate provider of comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and so many other services throughout Michigan, it is also on the cutting edge of much needed research and development. Grand Rapids led the way with the pertussis vaccine 90 years ago; now we are contributing to the development of an effective COVID-19 vaccine thanks to the participation of Cherry Health in the Johnson & Johnson study. Cherry Health, we applaud your efforts. Thank you for letting us be a part of them.” – Dr. & Mrs. Michael & Elizabeth Joy Fossel Cherry Health Foundation Board of Trustees
More than 860 households and organizations donated to Cherry Health Foundation, funding more Cherry Health programs and services than ever before!
India Manns, Chair
Patti Griswold, Vice Chair Robert L. Tolbert, Jr., Treasurer Elizabeth Joy Fossel, Secretary Richard Gaffin, Immediate Past Chair Jonathan Barrera Mikulich Vanessa Flores Giles Max Grover Armando Herrera
The community increased its financial support of Cherry Health’s mission by 53%.
Shelley Irwin Carlos Kulas-Dominguez Ann Liefer Lisa M. Lowery, MD Jessica Payne Elizabeth Triezenberg Carroll Velie
Visit cherryhealth.org/donate or call 616.965.8217.
A record-setting 500 guests attended a virtual Cherry Health Celebration that raised $177,000 for health care without barriers.
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CHERRY HEALTH | COMMUNITY REPORT 20/21
CONCLUDING NOTE ALWAYS HERE FOR YOU Whether you are sick or seeking preventative care, your health is important. Cherry Health provides medical, dental, and behavioral health services whether or not you have insurance coverage. It is vitally important to take care of yourself, and we aim to help you do just that with a comprehensive care team and personalized attention. Cherry Health is proud of its accomplishments this past year. We look forward to innovating, expanding, changing, and serving for many years to come.
“ Our goal is to provide health care to all, but we really have a special sensitivity to those who face barriers in their lives,” says Tasha Blackmon, President and CEO. “We do whatever it takes to help remove some of those barriers so that they can lead the highest quality of life possible.” HIGHLIGHT Left: Patricia Wolcott wears a surgical mask made available through generous donations of more than 40,000 masks. Right: Dr. Schut with patient Sophia Nan and her mother, Paulu Nan. 30
Cherry Health Heart of the City Health Center 100 Cherry Street SE Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503 Visit: cherryhealth.org Email: info@cherryhealth.com Call: 616.965.8200
Mission Cherry Health improves the health and wellness of individuals by providing comprehensive primary and behavioral health care while encouraging access by those who are underserved. Vision Our community will be healthier because we will seek out and welcome those who need our services. All will be treated as family with integrated, coordinated care to improve health and personal well-being. Quadruple Aim I mproved Population Health Improved Staff Experience Improved Patient Experience Reduced Health Systems Cost
