2012-02-10 22:13:40 - To better reflect its mission of providing healthcare to the medically underserved in West Michigan, Metro Health Hospital has renamed its Breton Health Center to the Metro Health Community Clinic.

Wyoming, Michigan, February 8, 2012 –

Located at 1925 Breton Road SE in Grand Rapids, the clinic has long been considered one of the hospital’s 12 neighborhood outpatient centers. But its dual focus – caring for the needy and providing residency experiences for more than 40 physicians annually – prompted the hospital to select a name that better reflects its commitment to the community.

“The Metro Health Community Clinic provides services to some of the most vulnerable families in our community, including many immigrants who are new to West Michigan,” said Dr. Susan Sevensma, director of residency programs. “By changing the clinic’s name, we hope to make our mission more easily identifiable – and to reach even more at-risk families in

our community.”

In 2011, the Metro Health Community Clinic performed 17,851 patient visits. More than 70 percent of their patients are low-income women and more than 20 percent under the age of 18. Nearly two-thirds received Medicare or Medicaid.

In addition to comprehensive medical treatment, the Community Clinic offers a maternal-infant health program, emergency food pantry, on-site social worker, prescription assistance program and others. At-risk mothers receive necessary supplies, including car seats, cribs and diapers, and the food pantry helps ensure that parents can provide for their families during difficult financial times.

Physicians can complete their residencies in family medicine, internal medicine, ob-gyn, general surgery and urology at the Community Clinic. Additionally, Ferris State University provides a hands-on teaching experience for its pharmacy students through the Community Clinic.

About Metro Health Hospital
Metro Health is a regional health-care organization with a 208-bed general acute care osteopathic teaching hospital and 12 neighborhood outpatient centers, serving more than 250,000 patients in Kent and surrounding counties. Metro, which earned status as a Top 100 Hospital for three consecutive years, offers a broad range of services, including hospital inpatient and outpatient services, emergency, surgery, cancer, cardiology, intensive care and rehabilitation. Physician, therapy and diagnostic services are offered in its 12 neighborhood centers. Metro’s work is supported by the Metro Health Hospital Foundation, which is a charitable organization dedicated to improving the health and well being of the West Michigan community through philanthropy. For more information, visit www.metrohealth.net.

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