Nearly $15 million in federal funding will enable San Diego, Riverside, and Imperial County community health centers to advance health equity and health outcomes in medically underserved communities
Health Center Partners (HCP) of Southern California, the region’s health care policy advocate for community health and underserved patient populations, is proud to announce that 13 of its 17 member health centers earned Community Health Quality Recognition (CHQR) badges for their recent achievements in access to care, quality outcomes, health equity, information technology, and contributions to the COVID-19 pandemic response. The HCP member health centers placed among the nation’s top performing, federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) in clinical quality measure performance and quality of health care services.
Additionally, as part of the American Rescue Plan, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded approximately $14.9 million in funding to 13 HCP members to advance health equity and health outcomes in underserved patient populations throughout southern California. Recipient HCP member health centers included Community Health Systems, Inc., Clinicas de Salud Del Pueblo, Borrego Health, San Ysidro Health, Imperial Beach Community Clinic, La Maestra Community Health Centers, Neighborhood Healthcare, TrueCare, Samahan Health Centers, San Diego American Indian Health Center, San Diego Family Care, Father Joe’s Villages, and Vista Community Clinic.
“These awards in the Improving Quality of Care category recognize the highest performing health centers nationwide which have made significant improvements to quality of care in the past year,” said Henry N. Tuttle, HCP president and chief executive officer. “Our members work tirelessly to deliver high quality, comprehensive care to marginalized communities throughout southern California and have continued to do so on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“Quality, value-based care continues to be a top priority for HCP members,” said Lori N. Holeman, HCP board chair and chief executive officer, Community Health Systems, Inc. “Both the awards and financial investment will allow us to further strengthen our offerings to patients in safety-net populations, closing quality gaps and raising care standards to enhance patient outcomes.”
Improving Quality of Care Awards recognized federally qualified health centers in four categories:
- La Maestra Community Health Centers, San Diego Family Care, San Ysidro Health and TrueCare were recognized as Health Center Quality Leaders for performing “best overall” in clinical quality performance – among all health centers in the U.S.
- Borrego Health, Imperial Beach Community Clinic, La Maestra Community Health Centers, Neighborhood Healthcare, Samahan Health Centers, San Diego Family Care, San Ysidro Health and TrueCare were recognized for Advancing Health Information Technology (HIT) for Quality. These centers met all criteria to optimize HIT services that advanced telehealth, patient engagement, interoperability, and the collection of social determinants of health.
- Borrego Health, Clinicas de Salud Del Pueblo, Community Health Systems, Inc., Indian Health Council, Imperial Beach Community Clinic, La Maestra Community Health Centers, Neighborhood Healthcare, TrueCare, San Diego American Indian Health Center, Samahan Health Centers, San Diego Family Care, San Ysidro Health and Vista Community Clinic were recognized for sustaining their designation as Patient Centered Medical Homes.
- Also, HRSA recognized organizations for their contributions to the COVID-19 pandemic response via data reporting and testing. Among them: Neighborhood Healthcare, San Diego American Indian Health Center, San Diego Family Care, Father Joe’s Villages, and Vista Community Clinic.
For more information about the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Community Health Quality Recognition badges, please visit HRSA Health Center Program website. For more information about HCP, please visit https://hcpsocal.org/.
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