Quality

Quality Expectations
Quality improvement programs are an expectation of operating a Community Health Center, PIN 98-23, http://bphc.hrsa.gov/policy/pin9823/default.htm.

Current Quality Measures
Current clinical and financial measures required by HRSA can be found at http://bphc.hrsa.gov/about/performancemeasures.htm  and details on reporting are contained in the 2009 UDS manual (updated annually).

Accreditation Initiative
FCHCs are encouraged to become accredited by The Joint Commission, PAL 09-01, http://bphc.hrsa.gov/policy/pal0901.htm. 

HRSA Health Collaboratives
Patient Safety and Clinical Pharmacy Services Collaborative (PSPC) is the current initiative, http://www.hrsa.gov/patientsafety/ , and is open to all FQHCs and community partners. 
            PSPC History in Montana
                        2008 – 2009 Community Health Partners, Livingston
                        2009 – 2010 pending, Partnership Health Center, Missoula
            Health Disparities Collaboratives (HDC)

• Developed in 1988, to help CHCs improve health care for patients and eliminate disparities.  The first one focused on diabetes and then spread to include heart disease, asthma, depression and clinic redesign.
• Visist http://www.healthdisparities.net/hdc/html/home.aspx for further information on the HDCs and the models and measures used.

Quality Resources

• HRSA Knowledge Gateway,  http://www.healthdisparities.net/hdc/html/home.aspx
• Institute for Health Care Improvement, http://www.ihi.org/ihi
• AHRQ, (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, http://www.ahrq.gov/
• Patient Safety goals, click on ‘Ambulatory Center,’ http://www.jointcommission.org/PatientSafety/NationalPatientSafetyGoals/
• ‘Do not use list of abbreviations,’  http://www.jointcommission.org/patientsafety/donotuselist/
• Healthy People 2010, www.healthypeople.gov/default.htm
• NNOHA (National Network for Oral Health Access), www.nnoha.org
• www.dentalclinicmanual.com