New Jersey has 23 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), also known as Community Health Centers (CHCs), that operate 129 sites in all 21 counties of the State. These Centers provide comprehensive and high-quality primary and preventive health care services to the most vulnerable New Jersey residents - the uninsured, the underinsured, and the medically underserved. Several Centers and many sites are specially designated to serve the needs of special populations including the homeless populations, public housing residents, migrant and seasonal workers, and school-aged children. The New Jersey Primary Care Association (NJPCA) and its network of federally funded health care centers are committed to improving health care for the residents of New Jersey.
CLINICAL QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
According to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), “Health center quality of care equals and often surpasses that provided by other primary care providers. Health centers improve patient outcomes while reducing health disparities, despite serving a population that is often sicker and more at risk than the general population. The health center model of care has been shown to reduce the use of costlier providers of care, such as emergency departments and hospitals.”
NJPCA supports the CHCs by providing technical assistance and other supports to encourage quality improvement activities, systems changes, and promising practices. NJPCA's Clinical Quality Programs seeks to improve both access and quality by increasing the effectiveness, efficiency, and safety of primary care that is provided to at-risk populations at service sites located in the medically underserved urban and rural communities throughout the State.
NJPCA Quality Programs and Initiatives align with the National Quality Strategy and support the efforts of New Jersey Health Centers to achieve the “Triple Aim” (a framework developed by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement) of:
- Better care for patients - improving the experience of care
- Healthy communities - improving the health of populations
- Lower health care costs
The NJPCA Quality Program infrastructure consists of a number of subcommittees that work together to improve the delivery of care and health outcomes. These committees are charged with the development and modification of clinical practice systems and protocols to improve both access and quality of the primary care services provided by New Jersey Health Centers.
NJPCA CLINICAL QUALITY COMMITTEES
- Medical and Dental Directors Committee
- Directors of Nursing Committee
- Quality Assurance Committee
- NJPCA Statewide Quality Improvement Committee
NJPCA Medical and Dental Directors
