Learning Networks
HPCA facilitates periodic, cross-functional meetings to foster collaborative learning opportunities on patient-centered care, clinical quality, performance improvement, data warehousing, vulnerable populations, and outcomes reporting.
Other, more specialized meetings provide networking venues for specific operational and capacity-building needs and are attended exclusively by CFOs, Dental Directors, Medical Directors, Behavioral Health providers, and EPM/EHR managers.
Collectively, this comprehensive set of networking activities improve the quality of care at health centers. They also increase organizational capacity by improving employee job satisfaction, reducing isolation typically faced by rural providers, and decreasing dependence on more costly resources from the mainland.
DPP 1422 Grant (CDC)
Funded through a portion of the Affordable Care Act, this initiative of the Centers for Disease Control is aimed at supporting a dual approach (population-wide and priority-population) to reduce disparities and prevent the onset of specific chronic diseases.
HPCA is a key facilitator in the $11 million dollar grant, and has forged a partnership with the Hawai‘i Public Health Institute (HI-PHI), the Department of Health, and the University of Hawai‘i to develop a comprehensive approach that links public health strategies and health systems interventions which can identify and prevent diabetes and hypertension in Hawai‘i’s neediest communities.
With HPCA’s guidance nine health centers across the state are actively engaged in this initiative, which addresses an urgent public health need and supports other ongoing health systems improvements (i.e., Patient-Centered Medical Homes, population management, and EHR meaningful use).
Vulnerable Populations / Medical-Legal Partnership
Patients face a variety of challenges to accessing quality, affordable healthcare; chief among them are the availability of providers and insurance coverage. However, there are a host of other social determinants that create additional barriers. Often, common civil legal issues related to these social determinants create significant burdens that negatively affect health.
Medical Legal Partnerships (MLPs) help patients resolve issues related to housing, energy, education, employment, legal status, and income/insurance access. The partnership between health providers like CHCs and legal organizations creates an effective bridge that ensures patients have assistance to resolve issues that may be impacting their ability to lead healthy lives. Our work in this area helps support these important linkages for health centers on Oahu involved in MLPs