The Packard Partner

Spring 2012 

 

 

Our Mission

To provide the best possible care

to our patients and community, including people whose economic, social or cultural conditions might otherwise prevent them from accessing health care.

  

Packard Health

3174 Packard Road

Ann Arbor, MI 48108

734.971.1073

 

 

Packard Health West

501 N. Maple Rd 

Ann Arbor, MI 48103 

734.926.4900

 

We are on call 24 hours a day every day of the year. New patient and same day appointments are also available.

Your Help Wanted!
Bank of Ann Arbor logo

Packard Health is a finalist for a $10,000 grant from the Bank of Ann Arbor's Project Help to support essential upgrades to our IT system to better serve our patients. 
Help make it a reality by voting every day from now through May 23 at the the Bank of Ann Arbor's Facebook page...friends and family are welcome, too! 
Thank you for all you do for Packard Health!
 
  

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Packard Health has been designated a Patient-Centered Medical Home by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

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Exciting Changes for Packard Health  

A Message from Our Executive Director
Executive Director Nancy Allcroft
   We know it's important to our friends to know what we are doing at Packard Health.  There have been exciting changes and we'd like to update you on what's ahead.
   Packard Health has gone through a positive transformation and we are positioning ourselves to care for more families, American veterans and students.   Our outreach to the VA occurred within the past month and we expect more than 500 veterans this year to be seen by Packard.  There are veterans who don't qualify for VA benefits (due to delayed symptoms in post traumatic stress syndrome) or families who don't have insurance.  At Packard, we believe it's important to serve our veterans when they return from the Middle East, and we are doing just that.  We will also care for their families who require primary care or mental health care.   

   We have just recently reached out to our student population in the community who don't qualify for student benefits or for whom there are no benefits available.

 

Who is leading our charge?

    I recently joined Packard Health as Executive Director.  I have a long history with large and small physician groups.  I have a Bachelors of Science in Nursing (Columbia University) and an MBA (University of California).   I have been well prepared to lead this organization into the future. 

   I'm also please to announce that Jeff Ewald, MBA, MHA, CPA recently joined us as Director of Finance.  Jeff has a broad background in healthcare finance and operations.  He's worked for several of the major health systems in southeast Michigan and we are lucky to have him!

 

Our Partners - Our Future

    Duane Newland continues to serve as Chairman of our Board of Trustees.  Duane, John Martin (Vice Chairman) and I recently met with Rob Casalou, CEO of St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor Health System, Doug Strong, CEO of the University of Michigan Hospital and Health System, and Ellen Rabinowitz, Executive Director of Washtenaw Health Plan, to solidify our relationship and discuss our plans going forward.  We are delighted that our partners are involved and supportive of our plans.  These partners will each have representation on the Board, which will ensure our continued success.  The Board will also consist of active community members to keep us in touch with all of the expertise that is essential to a strong Board, including finance, quality assurance and development.

 

Your Support

    Your support is crucial to enhance our current position in the community, so we can continue to serve our patients and grow to serve more.  There are currently an estimated 6,000 individuals who qualify for Medicaid in Washtenaw county but are unaware of this and may not be seeing a primary care physician because they don't know what's available.  Our outreach efforts will begin to bridge this gap, but we will not be able to do it without your involvement and your generous donations.  As many of you are aware, Medcaid reimbursement falls short of the cost to treat our patients.  

We are counting on you!!

Packard Health-y Living Joins the Packard Pacers This Summer
Walk for healthBeginning June 2, the Packard Pacers will be walking for fitness every Saturday morning from 9:30 - 11:00am at County Farm Park. The park offers paths of different lengths and difficulty levels in a beautiful setting. Pacers track their achievements using walking logs and pedometers. Demond Johnson and his team from A2 Fitness Professionals will be back to lead and motivate, and prizes will be awarded throughout the summer. The Packard Pacers welcome all ages and fitness levels. You don't have to be a Packard Health patient to join, but you do have to register. Check out our website for full details
 
We are also teaming up with Demond and company this summer to offer the Packard Health-y Living diabetes prevention program. This 10-week program is for those who are at risk for developing diabetes or need to better manage their diabetes and are ready to make the commitment to lose weight and improve their fitness. The program will include weekly group exercise classes at A2 Fitness Professionals Gym, Saturday walks with the Packard Pacers, weight loss challenges, nutrition classes, prizes, incentives and more. Class size is limited; details and registration information are available at our website or by calling our nutritionist and diabetes educator, Karen Koeppe at 734 926-4946.  
Donors in the Spotlight 

   We are grateful for the significant support we have received from our partners in the community - some who have been steadfast in their support for many years, and some new partners who have generously given recently. 

(l-r) IHA CEO William Fileti and Medical Director Mary Durfee, PH Practice Mgr Sherry Zuk and Interim CEO Tom Biggs
 
   Packard Health was pleased to receive significant financial support this past January from Integrated Health Associates, popularly known as IHA. IHA is a strong supporter of worthy health-related initiatives in our community. With this support, they are recognizing the valuable role Packard Health plays as a safety-net health care provider.  
   Over the past two years, we've mentioned our friends at Thomson Reuters in this newsletter several times, but there has been so much to thank them for. This year, we thank Thomson Reuters for their major financial support for the Packard Health-y Living program and Packard Pacers
programs. We wish Thomson Reuters continued success, and look forward to continuing our partnership with the wonderful people of the Healthcare Division here in Ann Arbor. 
   We also wish to thank the Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor, a loyal supporter of our health promotion activities over the years. Thanks to their support, the Packard Pacers have become a summer tradition and this year, the Kiwanis have extended their support with a generous grant for the Packard Health-y Living program.  
Food for Health
Packard Health Patient Advocates have been working with several community partners to improve our patients' access to fresh produce.

We will be partnering with the
Washtenaw County Public Health Department
again this year in the Prescription for Health program. Beginning in June, participants receive $40 in coupons to spend like cash at the Ypsilanti Farmers' Market and nutrition education and support during market visits from Prescription for Health nutritionists. In 2011, 137 Packard Health patients benefited from this program.

We are currently working with Food Gatherers on a pilot program to provide monthly fresh produce boxes to our Packard Health West patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. We expect the program to begin in mid- to late June.

In another program sponsored by Food Gatherers, Packard patients can obtain free vouchers from our patient advocates to "shop" for fresh produce at Catholic Social Services every Thursday afternoon. Here, participants are able to select the items they'd like in a farmers' market-like setting. 
 
To participate in any of these programs, patients should contact our Patient Advocates - Jennifer at the Packard Road office, Mia or Cynthia at Packard Health West.