The Board of Directors of the Greater New Bedford Community Health Center have recognized six outstanding employees in 2008. The winners were selected from a group nominated by Health Center personnel. Recommendations were based on several reasons including dedication, commitment to the community, and service well beyond what is required. In the Annual Employee Recognition Ceremony held at the Whaling Museum, Rose Yates, Board Chair, thanked everyone who makes the Health Center as great as it is and referred to all the employees as special people. Those recognized this year include the friendly and assuring voice you hear at the other end of the telephone line, the nurse who willingly helps wherever needed, the secretary who makes sure the patients are cared for in a timely manner, the maintenance person who makes sure the campus is safe for all, the Doctor whose unfailing first priority is the patientxs care, and the clerk who generously volunteers in the various efforts that benefit the community. These everyday heroes that were recognized are:
Viviana Abreu, Billing ClerkKerry Chavez, Pediatric Unit SecretaryRoy Filkins, MaintenanceJames Hayes, NP, Infectious DiseaseDianne Lowe, Switchboard SupervisorDonald Middleton, MD, Director of Urgent Care

The Greater New Bedford Community Health Center has been invited to present its experience in establishing an Occupational Medicine Program for the underserved Greater New Bedford community at the National Summit of Clinicians for Health Care Justice. The program is under the direction Ismail Nabeel, MD, MPH who will present the abstract entitled Changing Healthcare Practice: Building a healthy work force in a resource poor setting is no longer a broken promise. He will be able to showcase the pioneering work of the program at GNBCHC and the novel tracking system for surveillance of occupational related injuries in a medically underserved population.

The conference will be held October 23-25, 2008 in Washington, DC. It is expected to provide an opportunity for clinicians to explore cutting edge solutions and to be a part of the vital efforts to make quality health care for the underserved a reality.

The Greater New Bedford Community Health Center has been selected as one of two Health Centers in Massachusetts to participate in the Occupational Health Surveillance program. By combining Public Health and Health Center objectives, individuals subjected to work related injuries and exposures can receive treatment for those conditions as well as receive primary care and a whole range of services.

The surveillance program involves collecting information on work-related injuries and illnesses, using the information to develop intervention and preventive programs, and educating workers, employers, and health care providers in occupational health problems in medically underserved communities. Workplace health conditions include asthma, needlesticks, musculoskeletal injuries, lead poisoning, burns, carbon monoxide poisoning, and occupational cancer.

The Greater New Bedford Community Health Center continues to explore funding sources to support these efforts.

The surveillance program at GNBCHC is under the direction of Ismail Nabeel, MD who is a member of the Infectious Disease team. Dr. Nabeel is Board certified in Internal Medicine and Occupational Medicine. He not only lectures on occupational health conditions at the Health Center but has also trained Park Service Rangers and volunteers in hazard communication during Summerfest. and has provided training for fishermen. He is a visiting scholar at Harvard School of Public Health. He has presented lectures to judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island on work related issues in HIV positive patients. Dr. Nabeel is a member of the Department of Public Health Advisory Board for Occupational Health Surveillance.

The Wellness Center at the Greater New Bedford community Health Center will open July 1, 2008. Programs include Weight Management, Smoking Cessation, and Diabetes Education. The Wellness Center will be open to the public and area businesses, and may expand to include future collaborations with the YMCA and other agencies.

The Walgreens pharmacy Grand Opening will be held on June 5 at 9:00 am. Join us in celebrating as we expand our services to meet the healthcare needs of our patients.