Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) on Friday met with officials at the Center for Health Education, Medicine, and Dentistry (CHEMED) in Lakewood and commended the center for providing valuable health care for the community.

“This outstanding center has for years been meeting the medical and dental needs of all local residents, regardless of their ability to pay,” Smith said. “It is what true community health care looks like—I want to offer my sincere gratitude for the work they have done, and continued encouragement for the work they will do in the future.”

CHEMED is a federally-qualified health center (FQHC) in Lakewood that opened in 2008 to serve a serious and ever-increasing need for affordable health care in the area, where the population was fast-increasing but with over half the population within 200 percent of the poverty line. Smith personally worked to ensure that the center received the FQHC designation in 2009, thus helping to secure much-needed federal support for the center.

The center provides primary care, preventative services, health education, and social services and case management to all patients, including the uninsured and underinsured. Primary insurance is accepted, along with Medicaid and Medicare payments and, for those without insurance, a sliding fee scale based upon an individual’s ability to pay.

Since opening in 2008, the Lakewood Resource and Referral Center has seen almost 70,000 unique patients in 850,000 visits. The center provides onsite radiology including mammography, a pharmacy, and a walk-in service with early and extended hours for the convenience of patients. The dental department is the largest in Ocean County with 15 dental chairs.

Smith also supported the center’s application for Service Area Competition (SAC) funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration.

CHEMED was recently recognized by the National Council on Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH), or as a model of a patient-centered primary care organization.

“CHEMED provides a standard of care that is worthy of robust federal support,” Smith said.  

“The genius of CHEMED is that its services are all offered at one location, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive health care for the whole person,” Smith said. “This not only provides for better treatment, but cuts down on ballooning health care costs with a focus on disease prevention and health maintenance.” 

CHEMED honored Smith with a presentation on Friday that read: “In recognition of Congressman Chris Smith who has supported the LRRC/CHEMED Health Center since its inception and recognized its mission to serve the healthcare needs of Lakewood and the surrounding communities. Your vision enabled CHEMED Health Center to achieve level 3 PCMH recognition.”