CEO, Community Care of West Virginia
By Jean Hardiman
Rick Simon’s relentless optimism has served him well. Whether it’s overcoming budget issues or wresting health care tactics from old habits to new, more efficient methods, he’s up for the challenge. The successful growth of Community Care of West Virginia (CCWV) is a testament to his unwavering commitment to positive change.
Simon joined CCWV 26 years ago after an administrative career in higher education. During his tenure at CCWV, it has grown from a single health care center in Upshur County to multiple centers covering nine counties throughout North Central West Virginia.
“At the time, I had no idea we could have such a profound impact on central West Virginia,” he says. “What started as a small facility focusing on primary care has now expanded into additional treatment options for those in our communities.”
In 1984, CCWV became a federally qualified health center (FQHC). This gave the health care system a reimbursement designation that allows it to provide necessary medical services to those who cannot pay. Simon sees the importance in this designation in the communities CCWV serves.
“In our communities, West Virginians work hard to support their families, and this kind of health care service is essential to the long-term well-being of those we serve,” he says. “CCWV takes medical treatment and FQHC requirements to heart and has sought out additional opportunities to serve our community.”
Those additional opportunities include school-based health centers, which have expanded from four locations to 53 over the past six years; a pain management program; an addiction and recovery program; a partnership with Mountaineer Food Bank’s Together We Grow events; and the implementation of the FARMacy program.
“Seeing the positive impact CCWV has on the communities where we live and work has been nothing short of amazing,” says Simon. “I consider myself truly fortunate to have had the opportunity to watch our employees achieve professional success and even more fortunate to see the difference we have made in the Mountain State. The people of West Virginia deserve the best health care we can provide. That is our goal, that is our mission, and providing that service is what keeps us going.”
Backed by an outstanding senior leadership team, Simon continues to guide the organization forward despite new challenges. The biggest challenge CCWV faces now is the transition of the financial reimbursement system from a fee-for-service format, where health care providers are paid simply to treat individual care needs, to a system that focuses on an overall health plan that attempts to avoid emergent or short-term treatment needs by working with the customer to focus on long-term well-being.
“While this is clearly in the best interest of those we treat, the financial reimbursement system is continuing to change, creating challenges that were previously unseen,” he says.
According to Simon, the growth and success of CCWV can be accredited to two things: people and vision.
“The people I have worked with at CCWV from day one have been the backbone of this organization,” he says. “The vision for our organization was developed by a tremendous senior leadership group anchored by Sarah Chouinard, M.D.; Patricia Collett, PA-C; Connie Johnston; and Michele Williams. These folks are why we are what we are today.”
Simon credits the success he has helped CCWV achieve to his stubborn optimism.
“I believe success is a direct result of hard work and dedication and a unity of effort,” he says. “Any organization that is willing to strive together for a common goal has the potential to achieve success. Over the years, I have refused to accept failure simply because success is difficult. My belief is that there are always better days to come, and if we all work together, we can continue to improve our organization.”
One goal he has not yet accomplished but is determined to address is finding better ways to develop CCWV’s workforce.
“We need better ways to develop employees who embrace constant change as a part of the normal work environment,” he says. “I think our biggest challenge aligns with the John Maynard Keynes quote that says, ‘The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones.’”
Community Care of West Virginia
In the past two decades, Community Care of West Virginia (CCWV) has transformed from a single entity focused on primary care to 15 medical centers, eight pharmacies, a dental clinic and 53 school-based health centers throughout nine counties in North Central West Virginia. It now treats 45,000 patients per year.
In 1984, CCWV qualified to operate as a federally qualified health center (FQHC) under the U.S. Department of Health & Human Resources, allowing it to serve patients who cannot pay or do not have adequate medical insurance.
CCWV began operating school-based health centers to provide care to children who would otherwise not receive it and teach youth about healthy living. It has grown exponentially in the past six years.
CCWV also offers a pain management program that provides alternatives to opioids to help patients avoid substance use disorder. CCWV primary care providers no longer write long-term opioid prescriptions. The organization’s new Addiction and Recovery Program, which is designed for those facing substance use disorder and other addictions like food and gambling, will officially launch in the summer of 2020. It will offer medical management, counseling, case management, peer recovery and community outreach services.
With an eye on healthy eating to combat nutrition-related diseases, CCWV’s FARMacy program provides diabetic patients with prescriptions for fresh produce and nutrition education, along with clinical pharmacy intervention, and it has shown positive outcomes. After recognizing a clear need in the community for food assistance, CCWV partnered with Mountaineer Food Bank’s Together We Grow program. Last summer, the partners held a food bank drive at CCWV’s Rock Cave location, the donations of which served 250 families.
