The Primary Care and Hope Clinic is recognizing National Health Center Week 2014 (NHCW), as part of a weeklong celebration (August 10-16) to raise awareness about the mission and accomplishments of America's Health Centers as local solutions for affordable and accessible health care.

One of the bright spots in America's health care system, Community Health Centers have traditionally drawn praise from bipartisan Members of Congress, as well as the White House. The Community Health Center safety net serves over 22 million people across the country and has been successful in:

• Reducing income and ethnic health disparities nationwide, even in the poorest and most challenged communities
• Producing $24 billion in annual health system savings
• Reducing unnecessary hospitalizations and unnecessary visits to the ER
• Generating a system of preventive medicine that patients use regularly to stay healthy, thus saving lives.

"Every day in our waiting rooms I witness the value of having a patient-centered health care home," said Lisa Terry, Chief Executive Officer. "When people have a place to go for regular care, they use it and stay healthier. We provide a range of services onsite - preventative, primary and acute care, pediatrics, behavioral health, X-Ray, and diabetic counseling. Our patients not only get the care they need under one roof, but they are treated as individuals, with dignity and respect. This is what health care should be, and what we celebrate during National Health Center Week."

The Primary Care and Hope Clinic is a non-profit community health center, providing quality, affordable family health services to medically uninsured, underserved, Medicare and TennCare families in Rutherford and surrounding counties. Call 615-893-9390 to schedule an appointment or go to www.hopeclnc.org to learn more.