[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 35 (Wednesday, February 24, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E162]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                       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.

                          ____________________