Since 2006, the Community Health Center of Fort Dodge has been taking care of thousands of people from north central Iowa and doing so in a way that won’t bankrupt their patients.

The center is dedicated to providing care to everyone regardless of their financial status or what kind of insurance they may or may not have. Its fees are based on a patient’s ability to pay. That system makes it possible for people to get the care they need – the care that could save their lives – without worrying about the bills.

The center offers dental and behavioral health services in addition to medical care.

The high caliber of service provided by the center’s staff has again been recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality.

For the third year in a row, the center has received the committee’s Patient Centered Medical Home Recognition. In a statement announcing the award, the committee said the recognition means the center has ”the tools, systems, and resources to provide its patients with the right care at the right time.”

”We focus every day on providing a quality patient-centered experience close to home,” said Renae Kruckenberg, the chief executive officer of the center.

The center has also received a grant of more than $2.6 million from the pandemic relief measure enacted by President Joe Biden and Congress.

The center was awarded $2,616,375 to support its COVID-19 services.

There is a lot of controversy surrounding that $1.9 trillion relief measure. But this is an instance in which the federal money is being well-spent. Anyone who saw the long line of cars full of people waited to be tested for COVID-19 at the center knows that its staff has been deeply involved in fighting the pandemic.

The Community Health Center of Fort Dodge is a valuable asset and these latest developments are proof of that.