Dr. Federico Ceppa, the Director of Primary Care at La Comunidad Hispana, received the Outstanding Primary Care Clinician Award during the annual conference of the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers.

“This award celebrates Dr. Ceppa’s leadership in coaching our clinical staff to adapt to team-based care this year,” said Steve Castellano, LCH’s Interim President and CEO. “The same team of health center staff takes care of the same patients, so they establish a strong relationship over time and can easily coordinate care needs. Team-based care has been shown to improve patient health, and it is a more sustainable, effective way of receiving healthcare. We have seen wonderful improvements for both our patients and our staff in its first year at LCH.”

In addition to transitioning LCH to team-based care, Dr. Ceppa has led the health center in trying new approaches and initiatives for improving patient outcomes. For example, in collaboration with Johnson & Johnson, LCH patients with diabetes are now utilizing text message reminders and two-way communication with their providers. As a result, more than 20 percent of patients with diabetes showed improvement in their blood glucose levels in just one year.

Dr. Ceppa is also the main provider for LCH’s outreach wellness checks, in which a care team travels to local worksites in mushroom farms and businesses to provide free vital sign screenings and counseling to employees.

“There are community members out there that have no idea that they have high blood pressure or sugar levels until we see them,” said Barbara Mancill, LCH’s Director of Quality Care and Population Health. “This program has literally saved lives.”

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) distributed more than $2 million dollars in financial awards to a total of 37 health centers across the state. LCH received funding for six of the eight categories:

• Clinical Quality Improvers ($9,774)
• Health Center Quality Leaders ($22,024)
• Access Enhancers ($5,000)
• Health Disparities Reducers ($30,000)
• Advancing Health Information Technology for Quality ($5,000)
• Patient Centered Medical Home Recognition ($30,000)

“This is a great moment for LCH,” said Ronan Gannon, LCH’s Board Chair. “Dr. Ceppa’s award reflects the enthusiasm and passion that thrives throughout the LCH staff, and the awards from HRSA affirm that we are living out our mission as the leading provider of integrated health and community services in southern Chester County.”

Click here to learn more about La Comunidad Hispana.

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