ICHS recognized among nation’s highest performing health centers
HRSA awards federal quality improvement grant to ICHS. From left: Dr. Asqual Getaneh, ICHS medical director; Teresita Batayola, ICHS president and CEO; Sharon Turner, U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration’s Region X administrator.
International Community Health Services (ICHS) today announced it is among 1,352 community health centers nationally that have been selected for $125 million in federal awards from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In issuing the grants, HRSA further recognized organizations exceeding national quality benchmarks as National Quality Leaders and those with the best overall clinical performance as Health Center Quality Leaders. ICHS was awarded both distinctions.
“ICHS’ consistently high quality care and outstanding clinical performance have earned a place of honor among Washington’s health centers. We have been named a Health Center Quality Leader every year since 2014, and a National Quality Leader in 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018,” said Teresita Batayola, ICHS president and CEO. “These awards are based on overall patient health data as a result of our care. We are proud of this record of achievement. ICHS is an example of the exceptional value our nation’s system of community health centers routinely deliver, providing comprehensive care at significantly lower cost to millions of Americans.”
HRSA’s Quality Improvement grant awards promote continued improvements in expanding access to comprehensive care, improving care quality and outcomes, increasing comprehensive care delivery in a cost-effective way, addressing health disparities, advancing the use of health information technology, and delivering patient-centered care. ICHS’ exceptional results and standards in seven out of eight of these categories led to a grant award of $249,174.
Asqual Getaneh, MD, MPH | ICHS medical directorBeing a quality leader means that ICHS patients are more likely to achieve desired health outcomes. This points to the success our clinics are achieving across the life span from healthy pregnancies, well child care, and management of chronic conditions like diabetes. This grant will further ICHS’ efforts to widen access to high quality, affordable care among underserved communities and bring better health to greater numbers of the state’s residents.
The award was announced at ICHS’ International District Clinic by Sharon Turner, U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration’s Region X administrator, during National Health Center Week, the annual celebration that highlights the critical role community health centers play in providing high-quality, affordable, primary health care.
“I commend ICHS for being recognized as a National Quality Leader,” said Turner. “It’s a pleasure to be here and to celebrate HRSA’s partnership with ICHS and community health centers across the nation in providing high-quality, affordable primary care.”
For a list of 2018 Quality Improvement Award recipients, visit:
https://bphc.hrsa.gov/programopportunities/fundingopportunities/qualityimprovement/index.html