Health Center Controlled Network - LAHCCN, operating under LPCA who supports 41 Community Health Centers (CHCs) across Louisiana, providing care to over 500,000 patients annually. Louisiana ranks last in overall health outcomes nationally due to high rates of premature death, economic hardship, and limited access to quality care. Despite these challenges, CHCs have significantly improved areas such as heart disease management and childhood immunizations. LAHCCN’s 2025 -2028 strategic efforts are to address health disparities and enhance healthcare delivery through improved health information technology, data analytics, interoperability, and value-based care. Since 2012, LAHCCN has driven HIT adoption and quality improvement in PHCs. Key milestones include implementing EHRs, Medicaid expansion, expanding telehealth, and adopting data-driven care strategies. However, challenges remain, such as fragmented data systems, limited staff expertise, financial constraints, and interoperability barriers. These issues hinder PHCs’ ability to leverage data to improve patient outcomes and operational efficiency. LAHCCN will focus on five key areas during the 2025–2028 grant cycle to address these challenges. Strengthening data management and analytics. The 2024 needs assessment revealed that only 15% of CHCs rated their capacity to use data for outcome improvement as excellent. To address this gap, LAHCCN will establish a Data Governance Committee to standardize practices and ensure data quality. Technical assistance (T/TA) will optimize the use of Azara DRVS for actionable insights, while training programs will build staff expertise in data management and analytics. Second, improve interoperability and data sharing. While progress has been made in establishing connections with external entities like labs and pharmacies, most PHCs rate their current processes as only moderately effective due to technical challenges and privacy concerns. LAHCCN will work with its partners to facilitate bidirectional data exchange to enhance continuity of care. Third, support UDS+ reporting. The 2024 readiness assessment indicates that only 9% of CHCs are fully prepared for UDS+. To bridge this gap, LAHCCN will provide UDS+ T/TA sessions via EHR and DRVS user groups to support PHC with UDS+ submissions. Fourth, advancing value-based care (VBC). While 58% of PHCs participate in VBC arrangements, nearly half feel only somewhat prepared to expand VBC initiatives due to financial constraints and HIT limitations. LAHCCN will augment HIT systems to support clinical process improvements and outcome tracking, provide training, and address interoperability gaps to improve care coordination. Finally, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) for predictive analytics, workflow automation, and clinical decision support. Only 18% of CHCs currently use AI tools due to resource constraints and limited expertise. To foster AI adoption, LAHCCN will provide training on ethical AI practices and compliance standards while supporting AI-powered tools to help reduce provider burnout and enhance decision-making. Over the past 12 years, LAHCCN has seen increased PHC participation and has successfully supported them in advancing health information technology, aiding quality improvement, and improving health center operations in Louisiana. Through the support of the 2025 – 2028 HCCN (HRSA-25-018) funding, LAHCCN looks forward to continuing efforts to support CHCs and the underserved members of our community.
