Friday, January 17, 2025
1/17/2025
The Universidad Central del Caribe (UCC) Technology-Enabled Collaborative Learning and Capacity Building proposed program aims to enhance the knowledge and skills of primary care providers (PCPs) in diagnosing and managing Substance Abuse, Alzheimer's Disease, and Chronic Pain. Utilizing the Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) model, this initiative fosters a collaborative learning environment that bridges the gap between academic specialists’ expertise and community-based PCPs. The program spokes sites will be Primary Care Providers organized under “Asociación de IPAs de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico IPAs Association), a non-profit corporation established in 2005; that have more than 60 medical partner groups, 1,850 Primary Care Physicians, serving approximately 700,000 patients enrolled under MEDICAID program and approximately 300,000 MEDICARE Advantage program beneficiaries. The UCC-TECL program first year targets 25 medical groups across Puerto Rico, providing a scalable solution to improve access to care at primary level and healthcare outcomes. As time goes on, ten (10) additional groups will be included each year, ending the fifth year with forty-eight internal medicine residents and UCC faculty. Participating PCPs will receive guidance from experts in addiction medicine, neurology, psychiatry and chiropractic doctors. Through regular tele-mentoring sessions, case-based discussions, and a multidisciplinary approach, the participants of the ECHO model's hub-and-spoke structure will receive continued education. Program impact will ensure that participants gain practical, evidence-based insights, fostering a community of practice that supports continuous learning and professional development. By empowering PCPs with enhanced diagnostic and management skills, the program aims to improve early detection, treatment, and patient care for individuals suffering from these complex conditions. This initiative addre sses the pressing need for specialized care in underserved regions, ultimately contributing to better health outcomes, timely access to care, and reducing healthcare disparities in Puerto Rico.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).