On Tuesday, August 25, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Acting Administrator Jim Macrae announced over $3.4 million in Affordable Care Act funding to 54 New York State health centers in recognition of their achievements in providing high quality, comprehensive care. Awardees will use these funds to expand current quality improvement systems and infrastructure and improve primary care service delivery in the communities they serve.
The intent of this week’s awards is to acknowledge and reward those health centers that are achieving the highest levels of clinical quality performance and improvement and to enable them to continue delivering better, smarter care to their patients. The awards are divided into the following three categories:
Quality Awards
Health center quality leaders achieved the best overall clinical outcomes among all health centers, demonstrating a dedication to quality in all aspects of clinical operations.
EHR reporters used Electronic Health Records (EHRs) to report clinical quality measure data for all patients, a foundation for quality improvement strategies.
Clinical quality improvers showed improvement in one or more clinical quality measures between 2013 and 2014, demonstrating a significant improvement to their patients’ health.
National quality leaders met or exceeded national clinical quality benchmarks, including Healthy People 2020 objectives, for chronic disease management, preventive care, and perinatal/prenatal care, demonstrating health centers’ critical role in improving quality health care nationwide.
Access Awards
Access enhancers increased the total number of patients served and the number of patients receiving comprehensive services between 2013 and 2014.
Value Awards
High value health centers improved cost efficient care delivery compared to the national average while also increasing quality of care and improving access to comprehensive services.
Awardees include:
Access Community Health Center - $13,749
Anthony L. Jordan Health Center - $33,800
Beacon Christian Community Health Center - $25,006
Bedford Stuyvesant Family Health Center - $93,582
Betances Health Center - $33,518
Brightpoint Health - $87,745
Bronx Community Health Network - $15,000
Bronx Lebanon Integrated Service System, Inc. - $254,239
Brooklyn Plaza Medical Center - $61,580
Brownsville Multi-Service Family Health Center - $15,000
