fqhc

BACKGROUND: In various disciplines, an association between surgical wait times and patient outcomes has been identified. This study is among the first to investigate whether practice setting influences wait times for elective surgeries in benign gynecology. METHODS: This retrospective study of patients at three New York hospitals from 10/2019-2/2020 compared surgical wait times among patients seen in federally-qualified health centers (FQHC's) and private practice settings...

Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) are the largest providers of healthcare for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in medically underserved communities in the United States (US). Through the Affordable Care Act (ACA), FQHCs have grown in number, but the impact of this growth on STIs is poorly understood. This ecological study seeks to quantify the association between FQHCs and STI prevalence in all US counties. Variables were described utilizing medians and interquartile ranges, and distributions were compared using Kruskal-Wallis tests...

BACKGROUND: Bundling is combining individual interventions to meet quality metrics. Bundling offers of cancer screening with screening for social determinants of health (SDOH) may enable health centers to assist patients with social risks and yield efficiencies. OBJECTIVE: To measure effects of bundling fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) and SDOH screening in federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). DESIGN: Clustered stepped-wedge trial...

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate how healthcare staff intermediaries support Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) patients' access to telehealth, how their approaches reflect cognitive load theory (CLT) and determine which approaches FQHC patients find helpful and whether their perceptions suggest cognitive load (CL) reduction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Semistructured interviews with staff (n = 9) and patients (n = 22) at an FQHC in a Midwestern state...

BACKGROUND: Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) are integral to the U.S. healthcare safety net and uniquely situated in disadvantaged neighborhoods. The 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) invested $2 billion in FQHC stimulus during the Great Recession; but it remains unknown whether this investment was associated with extended benefits for disadvantaged neighborhoods. METHODS: We used a propensity-score matched longitudinal design (2008-2012) to examine whether the 2009 ARRA FQHC investment was associated with local jobs and establishments recovery in FQHC neighborhoods...

BACKGROUND: Burnout among providers negatively impacts patient care experiences and safety. Providers at Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) are at high risk for burnout due to high patient volumes; inadequate staffing; and balancing the demands of patients, families, and team members. OBJECTIVE: Examine associations of provider burnout with their perspectives on quality improvement (QI), patient experience measurement, clinic culture, and job satisfaction...

PURPOSE: Many maternal deaths occur beyond the acute birth encounter. There are opportunities for improving maternal health outcomes through facilitated quality improvement efforts in community settings, particularly in the postpartum period. We used a mixed methods approach to evaluate a collaborative quality improvement (QI) model in 6 Chicago Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) that implemented workflows optimizing care continuity in the extended postpartum period for high-risk prenatal patients...

INTRODUCTION: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) results in substantial costs to society. Prevalence of PTSD among adults is high, especially among adults presenting to primary care settings. Evidence-based psychotherapies (EBPs) for PTSD are available but dissemination and implementation within primary care settings is challenging. Building Experience for Treating Trauma and Enhancing Resilience (BETTER) examines the effectiveness of integrating Written Exposure Therapy (WET) within primary care collaborative care management (CoCM)...

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the proxy use of patient portals for children in a large Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) network in Texas. METHODS: We used de-identified individual-level data of patients, 0-18 years, who had 1+ visits between December 2018 and November 2020. Logistic regression was used to examine patient-, clinic-, and geographic-level factors associated with portal usage by an assumed proxy (i.e. parent or guardian). RESULTS: The proxy portal usage rate increased from 28% in the pre-pandemic months (November 2018-February 2020) to 34% in the pandemic months (March-Nov 2020)...

INTRODUCTION: Many solutions for increasing hypertension control rates have been proposed yet the social determinants of health create health disparities within the populations served by Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) that can complicate reaching these goals. This study observes impact of a group visit program on hypertension control within the patient population served by an FQHC. METHODS: Retrospective review and analysis of blood pressure data was performed for patients enrolled in the first 4 cohorts of the Heart on Hypertension Group Visit Program at the end of the program as well as 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after the program ended...

PURPOSE: To summarize the glaucoma detection and maintenance programs that utilize existing health care infrastructure to promote up-scalable programs. METHODS/RESULTS: Healthcare infrastructure that already exists may facilitate glaucoma detection. This infrastructure includes retail-based optometry practices and federally qualified health centers (FQHC). Persons who are at-risk for glaucoma are disproportionately represented within the patient populations served by much of this infrastructure, thus suggesting that it could be useful for deploying glaucoma screening programs...

OBJECTIVES: Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) may be well positioned to facilitate dental visits during pregnancy for low-income women. We sought to compare receipt of dental visits during pregnancy for women who received prenatal care at an FQHC versus a non-FQHC setting. METHODS: We analyzed Michigan Medicaid administrative data for all live birth deliveries between April 2018 and December 2020. We used billing data to categorize the predominant setting for prenatal care as occurring at a FQHC or a non-FQHC and claims data to identify dental visits during pregnancy (in the 9 months prior to delivery)...

INTRODUCTION: Meaningful engagement of partners in co-creating and refining health-related programs can increase the initial uptake, sustained implementation, broad reach, and effectiveness of these programs. This is especially important for underserved communities where resources are limited and need to be prioritized. Brainwriting premortem is a novel qualitative approach to partner engagement that combines the strengths of individual idea generation with the concept of premortem exercise that addresses failure points prior to the implementation of new programs...

The study's goal was to look at providers' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding lung cancer screening among Black male smokers served by a federally qualified healthcare center. Participants in the study were interviewed in depth. Participants completed a short (5-10 minute) survey that assessed demographics, training, and attitudes toward lung cancer screening. For quantitative data, descriptive statistics were used, and for qualitative data, deductive thematic analysis was used. This study included ten healthcare professionals, the majority of whom identified as Black (80%) and were trained as advanced practice providers (60%)...

PURPOSE: The objective of this cross-sectional survey-based study was to assess factors associated with patient satisfaction with physical therapy (PT) services received at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in the United States (US) located near the US-Mexico border. METHODS: Patients > 18 years of age, English or Spanish speakers, referred to PT were invited to complete an online survey. Factors that may influence PT satisfaction were examined for patients who attended PT...

INTRODUCTION: Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) may increase access to HIV prevention, care, and treatment for at-risk populations. METHODS: A pooled cross-section of Zip Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) from cites in the US South with high HIV diagnoses were used to examine FQHC density and indicators of HIV epidemic control. The explanatory variable was FQHC density - number of FQHCs in a ZCTA's Primary Care Service Area (PCSA) per low-income population - high vs...

BACKGROUND: Checkup visits (i.e., general health checks) can increase preventive service completion and lead to improved treatment of new chronic illnesses. After the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, preventive service completion decreased in many groups that receive care in safety net settings. OBJECTIVE: To examine potential benefits associated with checkups in federally qualified health center (FQHC) patients. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study, from March 2018 to February 2022...

BACKGROUND: Music therapy (MT) is an effective adjunctive treatment for substance use disorders (SUD), which is primarily available in inpatient treatment centers and rarely provided in outpatient primary care. METHODS: We evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of a virtual group MT program for SUD in a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), and secondarily assessed patient perceptions of its effect. Feasibility was measured by implementation-related process measures, attendance and use of technology...

BACKGROUND: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) affects many patients across the United States (U.S.). Morbidity related to COPD can lead to increased financial strain to healthcare system. The U.S. is also shifting towards value-based payments, which rely on satisfying quality measures. Pharmacists are equipped with knowledge in adjusting medications based on symptom burden and guideline recommendations in COPD and are equipped with the proper knowledge to address quality measures...

PURPOSE: To qualitatively examine barriers to patient portal use among low-income patients receiving health care services at a federally qualified health center (FQHC). METHODS: In-depth interviews were conducted with a volunteer sample of patients recruited from an FQHC. The interviews took 30-45 minutes. As participants arrived for each scheduled interview, written informed consent was obtained and participants completed a brief (5-10 minutes) self-administered survey...