Health Center Controlled Network - Project Title: Health Center Controlled Network Applicant Organization Name: Georgia Association for Primary Health Care, Inc. HCCN Grant Number: H2QCS30241 Total Participating Health Centers: 35 Address: 315 West Ponce de Leon Avenue, Suite 1000, Decatur, GA 30030-2433 Project Director Name: Duane A. Kavka, CEO Phone Numbers (Voice): (404) 659-2898 (Fax): (404) 659-2801 E-Mail Address: dkavka@gaphc.org Web Site: http://www.gaphc.org/ Grant program funding requested: $1,205,000 Needs to be Addressed: The Georgia Association for Primary Health Care, Inc. (GAPHC) is the Primary Care Association for the state of Georgia and also serves as the Georgia FQHC Health Center Controlled Network (GA HCCN). Georgia health centers have health information technology (HIT) programs in various degrees of sophistication, with a need for support and coordination in the areas of Data Management and Analytics, Interoperability and Data Sharing, UDS+ Implementation (electronic submission of de-identified patient-level data from health centers to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HSRA) through automated reporting platforms), Additional Value-Based Care (VBC), and Strengthening Cybersecurity Support. The GA HCCN’s network of 33 FQHCs and 2 Look-Alike health centers leverages health information technology expertise and resources to improve access to care, enhance quality of care, improve operational and clinical practices, and achieve cost efficiencies. Proposed Services: GA HCCN will support health centers through the following objectives: Data Management and Analytics – to assist PHCs in advancing and optimizing clinical, financial, and operations data to improve clinical quality, health outcomes, and operations; Interoperability and Data Sharing – to assist PHCs in improving bidirectional interoperability with health care providers and community-based organizations through by strengthening care coordination, reducing unnecessary medical testing and data duplication, and implementing more efficient and effective referral and information sharing processes to improve health outcomes and reduce provider burden; UDS+ Implementation – to increase the number of PHCs that submit some or all disaggregated patient level data in their UDS+ reports in each calendar year as required by HRSA; Additional Value-based Care (VBC) – to aid PHCs in using data to update operational, financial, and clinical processes in health IT systems to prepare for, deliver, participate in, or update value-based care that enhances the patient and provider experience, improves health outcomes, and reduces health disparities, including those who are uninsured; and Strengthening Cybersecurity Support – to assist PHCs developing or implementing assessments and advanced techniques to protect against threats to health center data. Population Group(s) to be Served: In 2023, Georgia HCCN PHCs provided care to 688,962 patients. Nine in ten FQHC patients with known incomes (90.1%) are individuals living on incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines (FPG). The vast majority (69.3%) are living on incomes below 100% FPG. More than a quarter (26.3%) are uninsured, while 27.5% are enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP, and 12.8% are enrolled in Medicare (UDS Data: Georgia, HRSA, 2023). Number of Participating Health Centers and Service Delivery Sites: 35 Participating Health Centers (33 Health Center Program award recipients plus 2 Look-Alike health centers) with 387 service delivery sites. Potential Number of Patients Impacted: 688,962.
