Awards

Honors Outstanding Health Center Staff, Teams or Volunteers

The Awards for Primary Care Excellence (APEX Awards) represent the pinnacle of service, quality, innovation, and achievement in primary health care, and are designed to recognize the outstanding efforts of dedicated individuals and teams who work or volunteer for Pennsylvania's health centers.

The Community Ambassador Award is presented to an individual who champions the community health center mission through a steadfast commitment to build relationships, enact change, and promote awareness and bring positive attention to their health center.

Specific Criteria:

1. Champions the mission of health centers in/and throughout their community, city, or county.
2. Advocates for or takes action to enact health care change in their community/city.
3. Displays proven, passionate ability to build relationships, remove barriers to care, and bring positive attention to their health center.
4. Involved in one or more activities that enhance, support, and strengthen access to care, particularly for the uninsured and medically underserved

This award is presented to an individual or team, whose work has made a significant contribution in the delivery of primary care to vulnerable populations, thereby improving quality, accessibility and/or outcomes of care. This award is open to all health care professionals serving in the medical, dental, or behavioral health and substance abuse arenas.

Specific Criteria:

1. Improves primary care delivery through originality, creativity, and quality improvement initiatives.
2. Exemplifies and inspires passion for primary care excellence across clinical disciplines.
3. Is respected by peers and others for clinical excellence and leadership.
4. Has had a significant impact on improving patient outcomes.

This award is presented to an individual who has given long-term commitment to the community health center movement, and recognizes the special accomplishments of an individual who, through their dedication to primary health care, has assisted vulnerable individuals to access health care in the health center arena. The award is made at the direction of the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers in memoriam of Carolyn G. Baxter, former CEO of Spectrum Health Services in Philadelphia. Always a strong advocate for improving health care, Mrs. Baxter spent her entire professional life giving back to the community in which she lived and worked. Mrs. Baxter also served as an active member of PACHC. Candidates may be staff, volunteers, board members or any individual who, through years of service, has demonstrated a commitment to the mission of community health centers.

This award is to recognize an individual committed to the health center mission who has risen through the ranks of a health center through their dedication and by obtaining the necessary education, skills, knowledge, and abilities to advance within the organization. The establishment of this award reflects PACHC’s commitment to the importance of education, training, and life-long learning. It is also meant to showcase career achievements and identify individuals who can serve as an inspiration for others.