Community Health Centers Form Partnerships to Increase Capacity, Improve Service
Community health centers, the leading providers of primary health care to the nation's poor and uninsured populations, need strong partnerships and effective strategies to strengthen the current health care safety net, and to prepare for what may happen in the future, according to a new policy brief by the
The brief looks at a selection of Federally Qualified Health Centers, referred to as community health centers, in
Their proactive strategy is a blueprint for community health centers nationwide, given the current administration's proposed plans to cut billions of dollars in federal Medicaid benefits to vulnerable Americans, said
"These centers are working to do their best in the current environment," Wallace said. "But all centers will also need a robust Plan B if resources provided by the Affordable Care Act are stripped away."
The brief, based on findings from
* Streamlining referrals in
* Pooling regional resources in
* Collaborating with
* Advocating for health policy change in
"We found community health centers are being more than just practical when forming new partnerships," said
Having a shared mission, understanding the political environment, incubating partnerships, and highlighting the benefits of aligning with community health centers were all factors that led to the success of each partnership strategy, according to the policy brief.
Authors recommend a series of steps that other community health centers can take to develop partnerships, such as having the centers include partnership-fostering as part of their long-term strategic plan; formalizing such partnerships; asking foundations to provide small grants to centers to build new collaborations; educating local hospitals on the value centers' primary care services bring in lowering hospital readmission rates; and providing funding for staff dedicated to developing community partnerships and advancing advocacy efforts.
The policy brief is supported by the
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