(Left to right: James Luisi, National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) Speaker of the House; Amanda Pears Kelly, NACHC National Advocacy Director; Brian Toomey, CEO Piedmont Health Services, Inc.; J. Ricardo Guzman, NACHC Chair-Elect; Forrest Olson, Treasurer, NACHC Board of Directors.)
Brian Toomey, Chief Executive Officer of Piedmont Health Services, Inc. (PHS) in Carrboro, NC, has been inducted into the Grassroots Hall of Fame for the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC). Grassroots Hall of Fame members have made lasting contributions to insuring the creation, survival and strength of community health centers and the health center movement through their dedicated and tireless efforts over many years.
Toomey was presented the Hall of Fame Award at the 39th Annual NACHC Policy and Issues Forum March 19-23 in Washington, D.C., an event attended by more than 2,000 health center leaders from around the country.
“Brian has been a passionate advocate on behalf of health centers and the movement would not be what it is today without his dedication, skilled leadership and tireless energy,” said Tom Van Coverden, President and CEO of NACHC. “Brian has been on Capitol Hill many times carrying the health center message, and rallying public support and funding in his state. We’re deeply appreciative of his commitment, hard work and leadership in advocacy.”
Toomey has championed the mission of health centers and the critical need for affordable health care among the medically underserved both at the state and federal levels. He has pressed Members of Congress in Washington, as well as state leaders about the economic value and cost-savings of health centers at meetings, community events, press conferences and hearings. He also has appeared in statewide and nationally broadcast radio and TV shows and has spoken out frequently in local media. For instance, Toomey wrote in an editorial for The News and Observer(“Federally Qualified Health Centers Get It Right For Half the Price,” March 2013): “Piedmont Health generated 236 full-time jobs and injected almost $24 million directly into the local economy in 2009. FQHCsprovide quality care at a much lower cost by being innovative and aggressive in keeping costs down.”
Toomey expressed gratitude to NACHC for the award. “This is clearly an honor for all of our board, staff, patients, friends and elected officials,” he said. “We are grateful for this honor from NACHC and look forward to continuing to spread the good word about community health centers.”
Toomey joined Piedmont Health Services, Inc. as Chief Executive Officer in 2005. Working with the PHS Board and staff, the organization has grown significantly under his leadership, and now has about 375 staff with an annual operating budget of over $29 million. The health center serves over 42,000 people a year and is a model for fostering collaborative partnerships with organizations such as the local Chambers of Commerce, University of North Carolina Health Care System and Carolina Health Net.
Prior to joining PHS, Toomey served as Executive Director of Harbor Health Services, Inc’s Mid Upper Cape Community Health Center and Harbor Health’s Geiger Gibson Community Health Center.
Community Health Centers serve as the health care homes to over 22 million people in more than 9,000 communities. Each year they save more than $1,200 per patient in total health care costs, and achieve $24 billion in annual savings from reduced emergency room visits, hospital stays and specialty care costs, including $6 billion in combined state/federal Medicaid savings. With demand for health centers climbing nationwide, local, state, and national support for initiatives that support and strengthen their mission is critical – now more than ever. The network of health center grassroots advocates, working in communities across the country to spread the message, help make this key support possible.
Founded in 1970, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance and expand access to quality, community-responsive health care for America’s medically underserved and uninsured. NACHC represents the nation’s network of over 1,200 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) which serve over 22 million people through over 9,000 sites located in all of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam.