Project Title: OACHC Health Center Controlled Network Applicant Organization Name: Ohio Primary Care Association Inc. (dba. Ohio Association of Community Health Centers) Applicant Grant Number: H2QCS30380 Address: 2109 Stella Court, Columbus, OH 43215-1032 Project Director Name: Ashley Ballard Contact Phone Number: 937-605-8950 Email Address: aballard@ohiochc.org Web Address: http://www.ohiochc.org List all grant program funds requested: Health Center Controlled Network $875,000/year for 3 years, no special considerations Participating Health Centers (PHC): 25 Total PHCs (24 Health Center Program Awardees, 1 Look Alike) The Ohio Association of Community Health Centers (OACHC) is the state’s primary care association (PCA) which currently represents 57 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and FQHC Look-Alike Organizations at over 400 locations, including multiple mobile units, in 75 of Ohio’s 88 counties. In 2020, Ohio’s Health Centers served over 820,000 patients. OACHC has received two prior waves of HCCN funding and saw significant strides in PHC’s improvement in their quality of care and health IT infrastructures. The first funding cycle began in 2016 and engaged 16 PHCs focused on utilizing health IT to improve quality and data reporting along with the implementation of health information exchange and population health management tools. The second funding cycle started in 2019 and consisted of 22 PHCs focused on enhancing patient and provider experience, advancing interoperability, and using data to enhance value. During these two funding cycles OACHC HCCN was able to expand the use of a population health platform, Azara DRVS, to further enhance the reporting and quality improvement capabilities of the PHCs and provide an opportunity for statewide optimization. External data integrations with Azara DRVS were established with one of the state’s HIEs, CliniSync, and one of the Managed Care Organizations, CareSource, to enhan
ce PHCs value-based care capabilities. Currently, 19 PHCs are utilizing Azara DRVS. The HCCN will continue to support to expansion and use of Azara DRVS across the remaining HCCN health centers. OACHC HCCN is uniquely positioned to leverage health IT and has a variety of existing relationships and resources established to support PHCs in improving clinical quality, enhancing patient centered care, and improving provider and staff well-being. The HCCN intends to provide technical assistance and training to PHCs to improve the quality of their clinical data and interoperability of their systems with other critical partners in the healthcare delivery system. OACHC is committed to collaborating with many partners including, but not limited to CliniSync, Azara DRVS, Security Risk vendors, and local partners such as the Ohio Department of Health to improve the landscape of data availability, reporting, interoperability, and opportunities to improve clinical quality care across the state. OACHC HCCN recognizes the critical need for its health centers to focus on health care delivery systems focused on health IT and digital tools, and to assess clinical and staff burden to better treat patients in the current health care environment. OACHC HCCN will support the needs of the PHCs with a shared goal of improved health outcomes for all patients, improved clinical quality care, with a focus on clinical and staff wellbeing.