[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 175 (Monday, November 17, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S10557]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    RECOGNIZING MERCY CLINICS, INC.

 Mr. HARKIN. Madam President, I wish to extend my warm 
congratulations to Mercy Clinics, Inc., based in Des Moines, for 
earning the prestigious 2008 Acclaim Award from the American Medical 
Group Association. This award is an extraordinary honor, given annually 
to the medical group that best exemplifies delivery of the highest 
quality health care in the United States.
  Mercy Clinics, Inc. operates health care facilities throughout the 
greater Des Moines area, and has a long history of innovation. The 2008 
Acclaim Award is just the latest national recognition of Mercy's 
exceptional commitment to high-quality patient care--something we 
deeply appreciate in Iowa.
  I prize my long-standing relationship with Mercy Medical Center in 
Des Moines, the partner of Mercy Clinics. I will be forever grateful to 
the Sisters of Mercy for providing care to my chronically ill father, 
many years ago, at a time when my family could not afford the costs of 
hospitalization. He received not only quality medical attention at 
Mercy, but also a generous measure of caring and kindness that remain 
the signature of Mercy Medical Center and Mercy Clinics to this day. 
The way that Mercy has retained these traditional human factors while 
providing state-of-the-art, 21st century clinical practice is obviously 
a winning formula--indeed, an award-winning formula.
  In presenting the award, the American Medical Group Association cited 
Mercy Clinics' pioneering research into the best ways to care for 
people with chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood 
pressure. The staff at Mercy Clinics created a program called ``Medical 
Home,'' which includes a team of ``Health Coaches'' who review 
patients' medical records and provide ongoing support for patients both 
face-to-face and over the phone, including advice on nutrition, 
exercise, and treatment management. Outcomes showed significant 
improvement in patient blood sugar and blood pressure control.
  I salute the visionary leadership of Dr. David Swieskowski, vice 
president for quality improvement for Mercy Clinics along with the 
partners who collaborated to make this project, not only successful, 
but a national award winner: Wellmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield provided 
grant funding to hire the first health coaches and whose ``pay for 
performance'' program rewards population based care; the Iowa 
Foundation for Medical Care who provided the Care Measures Disease 
Registry; Des Moines University who collaborated on health coach 
education and certification; Pfizer who provided initial health coach 
training in patient self-management support; the Institute for 
Healthcare Improvement whose IMPACT program model helped Mercy Clinics 
shape their program; and New Health Partnerships who also provided 
grant assistance. I also commend the commitment to quality and 
excellence that pervades the entire family of Mercy health care 
professionals.
  I congratulate all of them for a job well done. I look forward to 
working with them--and benefiting from their counsel--as the new 111th 
Congress addresses health care reform, with a strong emphasis on 
wellness and prevention.

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