The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that nearly $105 million has been awarded to 1,333 health centers in all U.S. states, territories and the District of Columbia as an investment in quality improvement, building upon their 2016 achievements. Health centers will use these funds to further improve the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of the health care delivered to the communities they serve. This announcement comes during Health Center Week, the annual celebration of the high-quality, affordable, primary care health centers have been providing for more than 50 years.

“Americans deserve a healthcare system that’s affordable, accessible, of the highest quality, with ample choices, driven by world-leading innovations, and responsive to the needs of the individual patient,” said Secretary Price. “Supporting health centers across the country helps to achieve that mission.”

Health centers are receiving these funds to continue improving their services based upon high levels of performance in one or more of the following categories: Improving Quality of Care, Increasing Access to Care, Enhancing Delivery of High Value Health Care, Addressing Health Disparities, and Achieving Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition.

“These awards will help health centers to provide their communities with high quality, affordable primary care,” said HRSA Administrator Dr. George Sigounas. “Quality care remains a critical trait of the Health Center Program, especially because health centers are treating more patients than ever before.”

HRSA also released new data compiled from health centers through its Uniform Data System reporting, providing an update on the primary care services being provided to patients. In 2016, nearly 26 million people (approximately 1 in 12 U.S. residents) relied on a HRSA-funded health center for affordable, accessible primary health care including:

• One in three people living in poverty;

• One in ten U.S. children 17 years or younger;

• One in six U.S. rural residents; and

• More than 330,000 U.S. veterans.

For more than 50 years, health centers have delivered affordable, accessible, quality, and cost-effective primary health care services to patients. Today, nearly 1,400 health centers operate more than 10,400 service delivery sites nationwide.

For a list of FY 2017 Quality Improvement Awards recipients, visit: https://bphc.hrsa.gov/programopportunities/fundingopportunities/qualityimprovement/index.html