 Dear Friends, We are indeed experiencing
a historic moment in health care. For
perhaps the first time ever, financial incentives are starting to align with
doing what's right for the patient New York State just put in
place substantially higher Medicaid payments for primary care providers who are
recognized as Patient Centered Medical Homes (PCMHs)-- a robust model of primary care known to improve
health outcomes, reduce costs, and racial/ethnic disparities. Over the last several years, it has also become clear that good primary
care requires an electronic health record (EHR). As a result, providers will get
as much as $65,000 over the next five years if they demonstrate "meaningful
use" of EHRs. Each initiative is
transformative. Yet each is
difficult, expensive and resource-intensive, especially for safety net
providers whose human and financial resources-and organizational capacity--are
already stretched. Now, with public and foundation
support, and in partnership with the Community Health Care Association of NYS,
we are working with twelve provider organizations to help them achieve PCMH
recognition and meet EHR meaningful use criteria. The result will be
organizations that are financially stronger and have more resources because
they are delivering the top-of-the-line, effective and efficient,
patient-centered care our underserved communities so badly need. If you are interested in
these initiatives, we urge you to keep reading this newsletter, read the related press
release, explore our new medical home "How-To" manual, and/or contact us directly. Sincerely, Ronda Kotelchuck Executive Director |
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Meaningful Use/Medical Home Initiative to Help 100,000 Underserved New Yorkers at City-Based Health Centers
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 The first initiative of its kind to combine both meaningful use certification and medical home recognition, PCDC and the Community Health Care Association of New York State (CHCANYS) have launched a unique "Medical Home (MH) / Meaningful Use (MU) Learning Collaborative." This two-year foundation-sponsored program will help participating health centers in NYC qualify for financial incentives from the NYS Medicaid Medical Home Program and the federal government's meaningful use criteria. The initiative is being supported with $525,000 in total grant funding
from The Altman Foundation, The New York Community Trust, and the RCHN
Community Health Foundation. Health centers will participate in the collaborative's full-day learning
sessions, webinars and one-on-one coaching. Session topics include critical elements, such as data capture and reporting through health
IT, health information exchange, building care teams, and providing clear and open communication with
patients. Click here for the press release. Click here for PCDC's Obtaining Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition: A How to Manual. |
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Department of Health Awards $109M to Coordinate Care Across NYS
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 The New York State Department of Health recently announced that
eleven health care organizations will receive a
total of $109 million in HEAL 17 grants to encourage adoption and coordination of health IT, and promotion of the
Patient-Centered Medical Home care model. The awards build on previous rounds
of state funding through the Health Care Efficiency and Affordability
Law of NY (HEAL NY). Award recipients include: - Anthony L.
Jordan Health Center
- HEALTHeLINK
- Long Island Patient Information
Exchange
- Maimonides Medical Center
- NYC Health and Hospitals
Corporation
- NYC Regional Extension Adoption Center for Health (REACH)
- New York Presbyterian Hospital
- St. Barnabas Hospital
- THINC RHIO
- UB
Associates
- Unity Hospital.
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| Ask an Expert: Susan Dooha, JD
How can health care reform improve primary care for people with disabilities?
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By Susan Dooha, JD, Executive Director, Director of the Center for Disabilities in NY (CIDNY)In New York City alone there are nearly 900,000 individuals with disabilities and most are vulnerable to added burdens such as chronic disease, costly health conditions and worse health outcomes. They are more likely to experience obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, oral disease and other conditions; and less likely to receive routine screenings, preventive services, or clear messages related to smoking, nutrition and sex. As health care reform seeks to bolster primary care capacity, we must consider how resources can be allocated toward improving care for people with disabilities. Two significant improvements include: Providing proper equipment: A practitioner's office or clinic is often challenging for patients with disabilities, but with proper equipment, care can be state-of-the-art and sensitive to special needs. For example, appropriate weight scales mean that diabetics in wheelchairs can be weighed, and adjustable exam tables can accommodate more thorough physical exams. Training a sensitive and informed staff: In a survey conducted by The Center for the Independence of the Disabled, NY, people with disabilities reported that one of the greatest barriers to care is a sense of being stigmatized. Oftentimes, patients are frustrated, humiliated, or angered by poor provider communication. Well-trained and sensitive staff ensure positive patient experiences, particularly for those with special needs. For example, properly trained providers can accommodate the needs of deaf patients by bringing in interpreters or by offering large-print materials for the blind or visually impaired. Most importantly, providers should communicate with patients directly, rather than only with family members. Click here for Susan's blog entry with "Advancing Health Equity" |
| Health Centers Save Millions through PCDC Bond Refinancing | |
"We have a tremendous responsibility to control the costs of healthcare and, simultaneously, to continuously improve quality. These savings enhance our ability to provide affordable, patient-centered care." - Wendy Stark, Executive Director, Callen-Lorde Community Health Center
PCDC completed a tax-exempt bond issue to refinance nearly $30 million of loans, which will lead to approximately $3.8 million in savings for five PCDC-financed primary care facilities: Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, Joseph P. Addabbo Family Health Center, Medisys East New York, Medisys Merrick and Settlement Health. The centers will use the savings to expand important services, reinvest in their facilities, employ more members of their communities and strengthen their financial condition.
Underwritten by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., the refinanced bonds, originally issued in 1996 and 1997, carry an interest rate of 3.27% over a 15-year remaining term and were issued pursuant to a program PCDC conducts with the City of New York and the State Dormitory Authority, with the City providing credit support.
Click here for press release.
Click here for more information about PCDC's financing options. |
New Report Reveals Financial Weakness in NY's Safety Net
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 PCDC and the New York State Health Foundation released Health Center Financial Check-Up: Prescriptions for Strengthening New York's Diagnostic and Treatment Centers, showing broad distress in New York's primary care safety net, particularly among Diagnostic & Treatment Centers (DTCs). The report analyzed seven years of financial data from 95 DTCs, serving some 1.5 million New Yorkers. The study found that federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) were financially healthier than non-FQHCs, and larger FQHCs were among the healthiest. Other key indicators of financial strength included strong governance and management, provider productivity, robust billing and collections, and modern facilities Among the recommendations: - Promote FQHC expansion with federal health care reform funding
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Strengthen health center business and financial management
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Pay providers adequately and on time, both public and private payers
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Establish a singular primary care focus within the NYS Dept. of Health
Click here for the report. Click here for the press release. |
Sharing Knowledge
PCDC Presents at Conferences & Events |
 Recent Presentations
September 15-17: NYS Association of Counties Fall Seminar FQHCs and Health Care Reform in NYS Discussed how New York's counties can assist and benefit from health center expansion. Panelists included Daniel Dey (N. Oswego County Health Services), Dr. Lavonne Ansari (CHC of Buffalo), Maggie Brennan (CHCANYS), and Shelia Kee (Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center). Panel developed and moderated by Ronda Kotelchuck.
September 14: National Association of Community Health Centers CHI & EXPO Recognizing the Power of CHCs During an Emergency: Urban Preparedness Models Incorporate Emergency Community Planning and Response Efforts Focuses on coordinating local resources in healthcare and creating collaborative models to promote inclusion of primary care into local emergency management and is based on a point of dispensing program used during the 2009 H1N1 crisis. Presented by: Brian Silva and Joan Thomas.August 17: PCDC Capital Financing Webinar, Financing Your Project through PCDC, sponsored by CHCANYS, offered participants an overview of financing options for capital projects, helpful tips for evaluating loan capacity, and details about PCDC's financing programs. Presented by Tom Manning and Nancy Lager. Upcoming Presentations
September 30-October 1: Health IT Workshop - Meaningful Use of Electronic Health Records A two-day workshop hosted by HRSA and the Institute for Family Health to provide perspectives, strategies, and real-world examples of meaningful use in community health center settings. Includes presentation from Peter Cucchiara. October 3-5: CHCANYS Annual Statewide Clinical Forum
Patient Centered? Says Who? The Experience of Collecting and Measuring Patient Experience Feedback: will discuss various approaches to constructing and delivering patient experience surveys, and analyzing and reporting data to meet medical home and meaningful use criteria. Presented by Peter Cucchiara and additional panel members.Facility Development - The Owner's Role: Will help health center leaders to better understand their role, as the owner, in bringing about a timely and successful facility development project. Presented by Tom Manning and Amber Randolph of PCDC, and Allison Coleman of Capital Link.Harnessing Facility Development Opportunities: Panelists will share their leadership experiences in evaluating opportunities and managing the risks and resources associated with development projects. Moderated by Nancy Lager.October 28-29: Joint Commission Annual Ambulatory Care Conference PCMH Transformation Will focus on practical ways for transitioning a physician practice to a PCMH. Presented by Regina Neal.
November 2-5: Opportunity Finance Network Annual Conference CARS 101: Discussion with Community Development Financial Institutions and investors regarding the value of CARS Ratings,™ including how to assess your organization and strengthen practices. Presented by Tom Manning.Click here for speaker bios. |
PCDC Career Opportunities
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Development & External Affairs Coordinator: This position will help coordinate and assist in the execution of
PCDC's fundraising, communications, policy, and media relations,
including grantwriting, prospect research, drafting and editing
print/online materials, lobbying and policy support, and event planning.
Program Manager, Performance Improvement: This position is responsible for the successful execution of assigned
projects, working with cross-functional and/or project team resources to
ensure projects are delivered on-time and on budget according to
defined scope, timeline and cost parameters.
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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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Open Door Family Medical Centers Wins Prestigious HIT Award
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Congratulations to Open Door Family Medical Centers, for receiving the Community Health Davies Award from the Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMMS). The award recognizes Open Door's outstanding leadership in skillfully using health IT, including capturing patient information, reporting on quality measures, and ultimately improving their patients' health.
PCDC is currently working with Open Door on a health IT project funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, which seeks to improve blood pressure control among hypertensives (specifically a low-income patient population), through the use of clinical decision support tools.
Click here for more information.
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PCDC Partners with NACHC on Health Center Business Continuity
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More than 100 community health centers from across the country participated in the National Association of Community Health Centers' (NACHC) Business Continuity Conference, a virtual workshop that helped health centers design organization-wide business continuity plans. These plans are a critical step in ensuring normal
operations during and after an emergency or disaster, and reducing risks such as
loss of revenue and/or staff support.
The conference was designed and delivered in partnership with PCDC and based on the successful learning collaborative methods of PCDC's Emergency Preparedness program.
Click here for a related PCDC presentation at NACHC's 2010 CHI & EXPO.
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Treasury
Awards PCDC $750,000 to Expand Primary Care in NYS
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U.S. Department of Treasury's Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund announced $104 million in awards to 180 CDFIs across the country, including $750,000 for PCDC (the largest award amount possible).
PCDC
anticipates that the Treasury's funding will
leverage additional capital to generate more than 200 construction jobs
and 300
permanent jobs; improve more than 80,000 square feet of space; and provide more
than
200,000 additional medical visits to 55,000 low-income patients.
Click here for the press release.
Click
here for a full list of awardees.
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Premier's Bronx Site Expands with PCDC Financing
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In late October, Premier HealthCare will host the grand opening of its expanded, PCDC-financed East Tremont Avenue site in the Bronx. PCDC provided a $164,500 grant and a $1.5 million, seven-year
loan (at a 4.54% interest rate).
Premier has more
than doubled its capacity for medical and dental rooms, enhanced the
environment for patients receiving mental health and rehabilitation
services, and added space to eventually add more staff to bolster its services.
Click here for the press release.
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Register Now! CHCANYS Annual Conference
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PCDC is proud to sponsor the 2010 CHCANYS Clinical Forum and Statewide Conference.
Click here for event information or to register.
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Announcements & Achievements
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Board News
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Welcome to the newest members of PCDC's Board of Directors:  Donald L.
Ashkenase, MHA has spent 20 years at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, beginning his career as Chief Financial Officer, and now as Special Advisor to the President. Prior to Montefiore, Ashkenase served as Chief Financial Officer of both the Long Island Jewish Medical Center and the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, and also served as the Associate Administrator of Ambulatory Care at Cumberland Hospital.  Tanya Shah, MBA, MPH is a Principal in the New York
office of The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and a member BCG's Healthcare
Practice. Ms. Shah's recent experience includes planning and strategy design
for pharmaceutical companies, including health technology assessments, access
strategies, strategic planning, marketing, and research and development. Prior to joining BCG, she held marketing positions with Pfizer and
Guidant. Click here for press release. Click here for a full list of PCDC board members. |
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