Dear Friends,
 Healthcare reform has passed, which means 32 million people around the country--nearly two million in New York--will have access to health insurance that they didn't have before. But that doesn't mean they will have access to health care. And if we don't invest in primary care, rising costs and lack of access to care will only worsen, as millions of new patients demand services from a system that is already severely strained.
Fortunately, federal healthcare reform not only expands coverage, it charts a path to better care and lower costs. Among the initiatives are higher payments for primary care physicians, loan forgiveness for medical students, major investment in community health centers, and opportunities to test innovations in care that reward quality of care over quantity of procedures.
PCDC's services are built around expanding access to primary care and bringing the latest innovations in how primary care is delivered. This issue of The Primary Source provides some excellent examples. Now with healthcare reform the law of the land, we look forward to new opportunities to deliver on the promise of better care and lower costs through investment in primary care.
Sincerely,
Ronda Kotelchuck
Executive Director |
| Federal Healthcare Reform: New Promise for Primary Care | |
President Obama signs health reform into law  | In addition to expanding insurance coverage, the federal healthcare reform law contains significant provisions intended to expand primary care and help transform our healthcare system. These include:
- $11 billion in new funding for health centers over five years, including $1.5 billion for capital expenses
- Expanding health center primary care residency programs
- Increasing Medicare and Medicaid payments to primary care physicians in 2013 and 2014
- Increasing funding for loan repayment, scholarship programs, and workforce training (including medical home and chronic illness management) for medical students and primary care physicians
- Establishing Medicare incentives for Accountable Care Organizations
- Creating an Innovation Center and the Community-Based Collaborative Care Network Program within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
- Increasing support for comparative effectiveness research
As the details of health reform evolve, PCDC will continue to provide resources to help primary care providers understand the implications for and impact on the sector. To stay informed on health reform updates, click here for PCDC's Primary Care and Health Reform Resource Room, or follow us on Twitter @primarycaredev or #primarycare. |
| Healthcare Transformation Leader Nominated to Lead CMS | |
 "To strengthen the local healthcare system as a whole, we must reinvest in general practice and primary care. These are the soul of a proper, community-oriented, health preserving care system.
Save it. Build it."
- Donald Berwick, MD, MPP, FRCP
Dr. Donald Berwick was officially nominated this week by President Obama to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Dr. Berwick is President and CEO of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) and one of the nation's leading authorities on health care quality and improvement. The principles of Dr. Berwick's work in healthcare and clinical practice form the basis for PCDC's approach for helping providers introduce new knowledge, improve performance, and expand access to care.
Click here for Dr. Berwick's keynote address from IHI's National Forum in December 2009. |
| Primary Care in Bloom! PCDC Honors Health Leaders at June 17th Gala | |
Primary care will assume new prominence in the era of healthcare reform. Come celebrate new opportunities in primary care, as PCDC honors four healthcare leaders with our Primary Care Excellence Award:
Herbert Pardes, MD President & CEO of the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and Healthcare System
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 As New York struggles with the economic downturn, the New York State Primary Care Coalition (of which PCDC is a founding member) released a report titled, "Primary Challenge: How New York Can Save Billions by Investing in Primary Care." The report finds that New York's families, businesses, and government could save $10 billion annually by reducing hospitalization rates to the national average, and by reducing non-emergency ER usage. These savings are only possible by investing in a primary care system that is accessible to all New Yorkers, and provides essential preventive services. Relying on national and statewide research, the report reveals that New York:
- Spends at least $100-110 billion of its $160 billion health care bill on chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and asthma
- Ranks 2nd highest in the nation in avoidable hospital use and cost and 5th highest in the number of days patients spend in the hospital - 50% higher than the national average
- Spends about $1 billion per year on non-emergency ER visits
- Ranks third lowest in the nation in Medicaid fees paid to primary care physicians - about 40% less than the U.S. average.
- Has more than five million people in communities without ready access to primary care.
Click here to download the full report and press release. Click here for New York 1 News story interviewing members of the Primary Care Coalition at Urban Health Plan, a health center serving the Bronx. |
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Health Center Saved from Bankruptcy, Services to Jamaica Community Increase 500% in First Year |
"[This] case shows us that New York doesn't have nearly enough quality primary care, and that for a relatively small investment, we can bring in good health centers that will improve the health of thousands of patients." -Richard F. Daines, MD, Commissioner, NYS Dept. of Health
One year after PCDC and Addabbo Family Health Center led the successful effort to save a Jamaica, Queens health center from bankruptcy, Addabbo has increased visits from 30 to 150 per day (43,000 a year), an expansion that was originally expected to take five years. Addabbo has also added services, including pediatrics, HIV/AIDS, OB/GYN, and dental services, plus added a nutritionist, social worker, chronic disease manager, and on-site pharmacy. The successful transition has resulted in 20 additional jobs in the community, filled by local residents.
"Jamaica is one of the most poorly served communities in New York when it comes to health care and, when we lost our local hospital last year, we became even more reliant on quality primary care to keep residents healthy and reduce health care costs," said Assembly Member Vivian Cook. "I am very pleased that we were able to save this health center, and now thousands of Jamaica residents will have a place to get the primary care they so desperately need."
Click here for the press release Click here for Daily News Story, or visit our News Room for more clips. |
Sharing Knowledge
PCDC Presents at Conferences & Events |
Recent Presentations:
 Feb. 16-19: Public Health Preparedness Summit "An urban preparedness model" PCDC, CHCANYS and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene presented on the integration of primary care into citywide emergency response.  March 24: Direct Relief USA Webinar "An Introduction to Direct Relief" PCDC and CHCANYS hosted more than 30 primary care centers to introduce Direct Relief USA services, a nonprofit organization that provides free pharmaceuticals and medical supplies. Upcoming Presentations:
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About PCDC
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Since 1993, PCDC has been transforming healthcare in
underserved communities by providing high-impact financing, innovative
services, and policy leadership that helps providers expand access to
high-quality, patient-centered primary care. Our mission is driven by three key strategies:
Investing...
We provide the capital to build new facilities, expand practices, and
upgrade outmoded equipment, leading to better services for more
patients. Strengthening...We guide providers to develop patient-centered approaches that strengthen their practices and transform the delivery of care.
Leading... We promote policies that increase access to quality primary care in order to lower costs and improve the health of communities. |
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| PCDC-Trained Centers Honored at City Hall for H1N1 Vaccine Success |
City Councilmembers present proclamation to centers and PCDC at City Hall  |
On April 14th, 19 health centers gathered to receive a proclamation from the New York City Council. Presented by City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, the proclamation recognized the centers' success in vaccinating more than 7,000 New Yorkers against H1N1 in fall 2009. The sites were among 77 health centers to participate in PCDC's Emergency Preparedness program sponsored by the NYC Council. Having gone through intensive training, these health centers were ideally positioned to respond to the emerging H1N1 virus as points of distribution for the vaccine.
Click here for photos of the event
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| PCDC Assesses "Medical Homeness" |  PCDC is now helping primary care providers pursue Patient-Centered Medical Home recognition, which will trigger incentive payments from New York State Medicaid. PCDC recently worked with numerous ambulatory care centers at varying stages of medical home readiness, including sites from the Montefiore Medical Group, Lutheran Medical Center, and St. Barnabas Hospital.
PCDC provides a range of medical home recognition services, including conducting assessments; developing strategies, project workplans and timelines; reviewing documentation; and providing technical assistance to make operational improvements.
Click here to learn more about PCDC's medical home services and tools, or to inquire about Medical Home services. |
PCDC Presents at International Health Conference
|  On March 7th, PCDC's Regina Neal, joined Thomas Bodenheimer, MD, Elizabeth Johnson, MD, and David Margolius in presenting to the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's (IHI) 11th Annual International Summit. The group led an interactive workshop called "Population-Based Care: Caring for Your Practice's Entire Patient Panel."
Participants learned about tactics to improve population health, including managing patient panel size and establishing team-based care models to manage chronic disease patients and provide preventive health services. PCDC uses these principles in its Practice Redesign approach, as well as IHI's Learning Collaborative structure to promote team learning, spread, and sustainability. |
| PCDC Highly Rated by
CDFI Rating Organization
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PCDC recently received an AAA+2 rating-- the second highest possible-- from the CDFI Assessment and Ratings System (CARS). The rating reflects PCDC's strong impact on enhancing primary care in underserved communities. This rating is based on a rigorous organizational assessment and signifies PCDC's clear alignment of mission, strategies, and activities; successful efforts to change public policy; and solid financial strength, performance, and risk management practices.
Click here for press release.
Click here for PCDC's CARS Rating certificate
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| PCDC Services for HEAL 15 Applicants |
New York State recently announced a new round of funding, HEAL 15, to help hospitals complete restructuring and renovations to convert inpatient space and upgrade and improve outpatient services.
For more information, contact Dan Lowenstein, Director, External Affairs. |
| Announcements & Achievements | |
Congratulations to LaRay Brown, who joined the New York State Health Foundation Board of Directors.
Ms. Brown is currently the Senior Vice President for Corporate Planning, Community Health,
and Intergovernmental Relations at the New York City Health & Hospitals
Corporation (HHC), the largest municipal public hospital system in the country. Congratulations to Barbra Minch, President & CEO of the William F. Ryan Community Health Center in Manhattan, who was recognized at the National Association of Community Health Centers' Policy & Issues Forum for her dedication and lasting contributions to the health center movement. Congratulations to Deborah Bachrach, JD, who was recently appointed as Inaugural Visiting Fellow by the New York State Health Foundation to advise the Foundation on policy issues, including expansion of insurance coverage, federal health reform implementation, and primary care reimbursement.
NYC Launches Workforce Subsidy Program - The City's Human Resources Administration recently partnered with Arbor Educations & Training on a new citywide initiative that provides placement for workers and 100% of wage expenses for those currently receiving public assistance. Click here for more information. |
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