Pueblo Community Health Center Wins Grand Prize

(Pueblo, CO, March 8, 22) – Pueblo Community Health Center (PCHC) recently won the Grand Prize for the 2022 80% in Every Community National Achievement Award. The award is given in recognition of distinguished, ongoing efforts to increase colorectal cancer screening rates across the United States by The National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable (NCCRT), founded by the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“The improved colorectal screening rates PCHC achieved were due to teamwork and our dedication to making sure our patients are well-served. The fact that we overcame barriers unique to the pandemic is a testament to the staff’s loyalty to our mission – to provide quality primary care to those in need,” said Donald Moore, PCHC CEO.

"Colorectal cancer screening saves lives, but only if people get tested,” said Steven Itzkowitz, MD, gastroenterologist with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and NCCRT chair. "Nearly 1 in 3 adults are not up to date with colorectal cancer screening, but we are seeing tremendous progress toward 80% in Every Community, the national effort to increase screening rates to 80% and higher in communities across the nation. We are honored to recognize the dedication of these community leaders that share our goal of increasing access to life-saving colorectal cancer screening."

Founded in 1983, Pueblo Community Health Center provides primary care to largely lower-income and racial and/or ethnic minority communities in and around Pueblo, CO. In 2019, PCHC selected colorectal cancer screening as a key performance measure to increase rates from a baseline of 54%. Through process improvements and adaption of workflows for telehealth during the pandemic, by 2021, screening rates had reached 62%. The same year, the Health Resources and Services Administration awarded PCHC a “Gold” Quality Award, placing it in the top 10% of health centers nationally.

In January of this year, PCHC opened their newest clinic on the east side of Pueblo, which is offering medical, behavioral health, pharmacy, and lab, and later this year will also offer dental. To learn more about PCHC or become a patient please call (719) 543-8711.

About PCHC

Pueblo Community Health Center’s mission has been the same since 1983: To provide primary health care to those in need. In 2021, over 22,000 patients received care at a PCHC facility. To learn more about PCHC and its Foundation, please visit www.pueblochc.org and like or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Contact:

Sommer Street, Director of Communications
Pueblo Community Health Center
www.pueblochc.org
sstreet@pueblochc.org
(719) 543-8718 x 316