With nearly $1.6 million coming to Florida from the U.S. Health and Human Services Department, it was inevitable that at least something would come to Pasco County.
Instead, 42 health centers outside of the county — in places like Brooksville and Tampa — picked up individual funding to help with quality improvement achievements, and invest in ongoing quality improvement activities there.
“This funding rewards Florida health centers that have a proven track record in clinical quality improvement, which translates to better patient care,” said HHS secretary Sylvia Burwell, in a release. “It allows them to expand and improve their systems and infrastructure to bring the highest quality primary care services to the communities they serve.
“With these funds, health centers in Florida will continue to provide access to high quality, comprehensive primary and preventive health care to the patients that need it the most.”
The closest health center to Pasco receiving grant money is the Brooksville-based Florida Department of Health office, which was awarded a little more than $49,000. Tampa Family Health Centers Inc., was awarded more than $38,000, while Suncoast Community Health Centers in Ruskin picked up $28,500.
Those that received the money were recognized for high levels of quality performance in at least one of these categories, according to a release:
• Health center quality leaders received awards if they were among the top 30 percent of all health centers that achieved the best overall clinical outcomes, demonstrating their ability to focus on quality in all aspects of their clinical aspirations.
• National quality leaders received awards for exceeding national clinical benchmarks for chronic disease management, preventive care, and perinatal and prenatal care, demonstrating the critical role that health centers play in promoting higher quality health care nationwide.
• Clinical quality improvers received awards if they demonstrated at least a 10 percent improvement in clinical quality measures between 2012 and 2013, showing a significant improvement in the health of the patients they serve.
• Electronic health record reporters received funding if they used the technology to report clinical quality measure data on all their patients, what HHS says is a key transformational step in driving quality improvement for all health center patients across the nation.
The Tampa and Ruskin centers received all of their money from being clinical quality improvers, while the Brooksville provider not only was recognized as a clinical quality improver, but a health center quality leader as well.
