HHS: $100 million to improve health center quality

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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded more than $100 million to over 1,300 health centers across the United States to invest in health center quality improvement. The centers will use these funds to “expand current quality improvement systems and infrastructure.” The centers will use the funds to improve systems and infrastructure as well improve some of the primary care services they deliver in their communities.

“Millions of Americans rely on health centers to provide them with quality health care,” said Dr. Mary Wakefield, HHS Acting Deputy Secretary. “These quality improvement awards will support health centers to continue to deliver superior health care that engages patients, improves care coordination and bridges overall access to care.”

According to HHS, nearly 1,400 centers operating at over 9,800 sites across the country provide care to over 20 million people in every U.S. state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the Pacific Basin. According to the 2014 U.S. Census, there are over 55 million Latinos in the United States, making them the largest ethnic or racial minority in the country.

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Health centers are receiving these funds based upon high levels of performance in one or more of the following categories: Improving Quality of Care, Advancing Health Equity, Maintaining Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Recognition, Enhancing Access to Care, and Delivering Value. This funding comes from the Affordable Care Act’s Community Health Center (CHC) Fund. Latinos constitute 17% of the nation’s overall population.

“Health centers are evaluated on a set of performance measures emphasizing health outcomes and the value of care delivered,” said Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Acting Administrator Jim Macrae. “These measures provide a balanced, comprehensive look at services to manage conditions among the vulnerable populations served by health centers.”