HRSA announces $63 million in Affordable Care Act funding to expand quality improvement systems in health centers

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Acting Administrator Jim Macrae today announced $63.3 million in Affordable Care Act funding to 1,153 health centers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 7 U.S. Territories to recognize health center achievements in providing high quality, comprehensive care. Health centers will use these funds to expand current quality improvement systems and infrastructure, and improve primary care service delivery in the communities they serve.  “Today’s funding rewards those health centers that are achieving the highest levels of clinical quality performance and improvement,” said HRSA Acting Administrator Macrae. “The awards will help health centers continue to provide comprehensive primary care to the nation’s most vulnerable communities.”

Health centers receiving these funds are being recognized for high levels of performance in one or more of the following categories.

Quality Awards – Approximately $43.7 million for 1,153 health centers.

• Health center quality leaders received funding if they achieved the best overall clinical outcomes among all health centers, demonstrating a dedication to quality in all aspects of clinical operations. 389 health centers received funding in this category for approximately $13.8 million.
• EHR reporters received funding if they used Electronic Health Records (EHRs) to report clinical quality measure data for all patients, a foundation for quality improvement strategies.   491 health centers received funding in this category for approximately $7.3 million.
• Clinical quality improvers received funding if they showed improvement in one or more clinical quality measures between 2013 and 2014, demonstrating a significant improvement to their patients’ health.  993 health centers received funding in this category for approximately $19.7 million.
• National quality leaders received funding if they 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. 61 health centers received funding in this category for approximately $2.9 million

Access Awards – Approximately $9.7 million for 340 health centers.

• Access enhancers received awards for increasing the total number of patients served and the number of patients receiving comprehensive services between 2013 and 2014. 340 health centers received funding in this category for approximately $9.7 million.

Value Awards – Approximately $9.9 million for 139 health centers.

• High value health centers received funding for improving cost efficient care delivery compared to the national average while also increasing quality of care and improving access to comprehensive services. 139 health centers received funding in this category for approximately $9.9 million.

“These funds will allow high performing health centers to continue to deliver better, smarter care to their patients,” said HRSA Bureau of Primary Health Care Acting Associate Administrator Tonya Bowers.
More than 1,300 HRSA-supported health centers operate approximately 9,000 service delivery sites that provide care to nearly 23 million patients in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Pacific Basin.

For a list of FY 2015 Quality Improvement Awards recipients, visit: http://bphc.hrsa.gov/programopportunities/fundingopportunities/qualityimprovement/index.html.

To learn more about the Affordable Care Act and Community Health Centers, visit http://bphc.hrsa.gov/about/healthcenterfactsheet.pdf.

To learn more about HRSA’s Health Center Program, visit http://bphc.hrsa.gov/about/index.html.

To find a health center in your area, visit http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov.

The Health Resources and Services Administration is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. HRSA is the primary Federal agency responsible for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated, or medically vulnerable. For more information about HRSA and its programs, visit www.hrsa.gov.