COLUMBIA, Tenn. — Maury Regional Health (MRH) recently received $142,633 in grant funding through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) that will enhance the organization’s delivery of quality and equitable care for underserved populations.
The HRSA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services dedicated to improving health care for people who are geographically isolated and/or economically or medically vulnerable. In August, the HRSA awarded $2 million to 25 health centers across Tennessee as part of the agency’s Health Center Quality Improvement Awards (QIA) program — including $142,633 for MRH’s five designated Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) locations.
“Our federally-qualified health center locations play an important role in providing crucial care for patients who may not seek it otherwise,” said MRH CEO Alan Watson. “We are pleased that their efforts have resulted in additional funding that will allow our team to continue enhancing the quality of care for residents in the communities we serve.”
MRH’s FQHCs received the HRSA grant awards for fulfilling or exceeding national goals in multiple categories, including:
- Clinical quality: Demonstrating at least 15 percent improvement in clinical quality measures that promote behavioral health, diabetes and heart health
- Access: Increasing the total number of patients receiving comprehensive services
- Value: Improving cost efficient care delivery and patient access to comprehensive services while increasing quality of care
- Health disparity: Meeting or exceeding the centers’ Healthy People 2020 goals, a 10-year plan for improving the health of all Americans, or making at least a 10 percent improvement across different racial/ethnic groups
- Advancements in health information technology: Taking strides to advance telehealth services and patient engagement
- Patient-centered medical home: Serving as a patient-centered medical home, which means providing comprehensive, patient-centered and coordinated care with accessible services and a demonstrated commitment to quality and safety
The HRSA determined awards based on data MRH submitted to the agency from the 2018–2019 reporting period. The QIA program recognizes and awards health centers that are taking strides to improve access to quality health services, to achieve health equity and to enhance population health.
“The providers and staff members at our clinics work diligently to provide excellent, comprehensive care for all our patients,” said MRH FQHC Executive Director Nathan Miller. “This grant funding will allow our health centers to further serve our communities with high-quality, innovative services and will support a number of initiatives to continue enhancing our quality metrics.”
MRH has five physician practices designated as FQHCs: Lewisburg Family Practice, Lewisburg Pediatrics, Lewis Health Center (Hohenwald), Primary Care–Waynesboro and PrimeCare Clinic (Columbia). These FQHC practices provide a patient-centered medical home approach to primary care and offer services at a discounted rate or nominal fee to uninsured or under-insured patients who financially qualify. Physicians and nurse practitioners at these locations are provided by Maury Regional Medical Group.
For more information about services available at these locations or to schedule an appointment with a provider, visit http://bit.ly/FQHCs.