Vietnamese Health Project Marks 15 Years of Service

SPRINGFIELD — Mercy Medical Center staff, health providers, and members of the community recently celebrated the 15th anniversary of the hospital’s Vietnamese Health Project (VHP).

Launched to serve the growing Vietnamese community in 1994, the VHP now serves more than 700 people annually, and provides hundreds of services to Vietnamese refugees and immigrants. Over the past three years, the VHP has provided more than 6,847 case-management encounters to Vietnamese families and individuals, and has assisted in the case management and delivery of more than 100 Vietnamese babies.

“The Vietnamese Health Project provides a number of vital services to the local Vietnamese community, including assistance with access to health care, health-insurance applications, selection of primary care providers, medical translation for appointments, home visits, and health-education services,” said Thu Pham, program coordinator. “Additionally, we identify Vietnamese women in need of early prenatal care, and provide assistance and support to these mothers throughout their pregnancy and after they deliver their babies at the Family Life Center for Maternity at Mercy Medical Center.”