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OPCA-Annual-Awards-2022-CHC-AdvocacyCommunity Health advocacy has never been so critical as we continue to have less resources available to meet the competing and often complex healthcare needs of the populations we serve. Dr. Germann currently serves as the Clinic Medical Director for Salud Medical Center and Pacific Pediatrics, both located in Woodburn OR and practices as a Family Practice Physician with Obstetrics finding time between his clinical duties, administrative tasks and delivering babies to be heavily involved in advocacy roles at both the State and National levels.

Dr. Germann has been a strong and continuous advocate for healthcare, the Yakima Valley Farm Workers systems, and for our patients. His advocacy extends back prior to the Covid pandemic but has taken on increasingly important roles over the course of the last two years.

During the COVID 19 pandemic, Dr. Germann served in a leadership role at a state level serving on Governor Brown’s Medical Advisory panel and was a passionate voice for both the at-risk populations and community health centers. He was very concise in ensuring resources were available to provide early testing and intervention. This meant not only being a ferocious voice for our vulnerable populations, but also collaborating and spearheading every potential opportunity to improve outcomes and create healthier communities. Because of the passionate support of providers like Dr. Germann, our organization was able to take innovative and creative approaches to meeting the needs of not just patients, but whole communities during the pandemic.

“Dr. Germann has been a strong and continuous advocate for healthcare, the Yakima Valley Farm Workers systems, and for our patients. His advocacy extends back prior to the Covid pandemic but has taken on increasingly important roles over the course of the last two years. Dr. Germann has been a strong and continuous advocate for healthcare, the Yakima Valley Farm Workers systems, and for our patients. His advocacy extends back prior to the Covid pandemic but has taken on increasingly important roles over the course of the last two years.”

-Lori Kelley, VP of Quality & Compliance, YVFWC

Recently Dr. Germann has continued his advocacy work on a state level post public health emergency eligibility redetermination committee (Task Force on the Bridge Health Care Program). During the public health emergency Oregon patients had continuous Medicaid coverage, but once this ends the state will have just twelve months to redetermine eligibility for all members. This change could mean approximately 300,000 Oregonians would lose or experience a break in their healthcare coverage. The challenges facing our affected patients is immense and Dr. Germann is acutely aware of the critical timing to building a bridge that creates a path for the most vulnerable individuals. Though one of several FQHC representatives on the committee, he is the only clinician present providing an essential patient centered viewpoint and advocating for all Oregonians.

In addition, for several years he has served on a task force with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. As part of that task force, they published a paper (attached) in 2020 which will hopefully serve as a platform for changes in HRSA funding and expansion of payment models for adults receiving dietician services.

His passion to ensure high quality healthcare to all people and to remove socioeconomic barriers to optimal outcomes has been infectious throughout the organization. He is driven to provide patient- centric care in clinic while advocating for policy change and the resources necessary to make health and quality of life a reality.

Submission made by Lori Kelley, VP of Quality & Compliance, YVFWC