The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING DR. HEIDI SHRECK
_____
HON. CYNTHIA AXNE
of iowa
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, February 24, 2021
Mrs. AXNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. Heidi Shreck, a pediatrician who serves as Chief Medical Officer for Primary Health Care, a community health center local in central Iowa. Dr. Shreck is a dedicated, trusted physician who works each day to support the health of our communities, and it is my distinct honor to name her Iowan of the Week.
Dr. Shreck leads with care and compassion, and she is committed to achieving excellence. If you were to ask any of her patients--or the parents of some of her littler patients--they would without doubt echo that her kindness, devotion, and concern for their health and wellbeing is at the core of everything she does.
PHC offers high-quality, affordable care to underserved and vulnerable populations in Des Moines, Ames, and Marshalltown. As Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shreck helps ensure these patients receive comprehensive health services, including medical and dental care, behavioral health care, homeless support, and pharmacy services. In 2019, PHC provided care for more than 38,000 Iowans.
Dr. Shreck has been instrumental in advancing the care-driven mission of community health centers in Iowa. When we began to see cases of COVID-19 in our state, Dr. Shreck led PHC' s early response efforts and coordinated with other healthcare organizations to establish a community-wide strategy. She has continued to lead our medical, dental, and behavioral health staff through the challenging circumstances of the past nine months.
PHC's staff--including Dr. Shreck--has gone above and beyond to make sure patients and clients received continuing health care from the onset of this pandemic. Their accomplishments are truly too many to list, so I'd like to highlight a few.
With Dr. Shreck's leadership, PHC medical staff rapidly adapted to providing care in new ways. For example, behavioral health providers worked alongside primary care teams to set up telehealth systems to meet increasing demand for mental health care among kids and adults during this pandemic. In the early days of the pandemic when most dental offices had to shutter, dedicated dental teams juggled work adjustments, staffing challenges, and new requirements for PPE in order to provide emergency care--which kept patients healthy while ensuring emergency room space remained available to treat those with COVID-19.
I cannot thank Dr. Shreck enough for her hard work and resolve in the face of this threat to the health of communities across Iowa. Despite the long hours, stress, and concern for their own families, friends, and neighbors, Dr. Shreck and her team keep showing up to provide exceptional care. They do so with compassion, dignity, and respect; their resolve is deeply humbling.
It is Iowans like Dr. Shreck who embody Iowans commitment to community and service. I thank her once again for her achievements, and it is my distinct honor to name her this week's Iowan of the Week.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 35
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