Programs
By facilitating the development and sustainability of an effective, integrated health care system in the District of Columbia, the DC Primary Care Association continues to lead the way to health equity through programs and services that expand and improve primary health care services to DC residents. The programs that the DCPCA creates, implements, or supports reflect both our mission and the priorities of our members and community partners. Each contributes to our mission and is part of our five key initiatives to achieve health equity.
eHealth DC
eHealthDC, the Regional Extension Center for the District of Columbia, is a DCPCA program committed to supporting more than 1,000 health care providers with the adoption and meaningful use of electronic health records. eHealthDC is a neutral source for credible EHR and health information technology information. Through eHealthDC, DCPCA offers direct, individualized, and on-site technical assistance designed to improve the quality of health care and help eligible providers qualify for federal incentive payments. DCPCA and its partner, Clinovations, have extensive clinical and EHR implementation and optimization experience. Together, we are committed to helping transform clinical care in the nation’s capital through the use of technology and best practices.
DC Regional Health Information Organization
The DC RHIO is a health information technology initiative that improves care through access to shared patient clinical information. The DC RHIO helps health professionals provide the best care for the community’s most underserved. At present, records of more than 323,050 unique patients are housed in the DC RHIO database. This initiative is a partnership between DCPCA, the DC government, and Microsoft. It’s funded by a three-year, $6 million grant from the DC government. The DC RHIO currently is in its first phase, connecting health centers and hospitals. The second phase will expand these connections, and include medical specialists, pharmacies, laboratories, and District governmental agencies.
Quality Transformation Series
The Quality Transformation Series is a three-year, $1.5 million program funded by CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield. DCPCA is working with 12 health centers to develop and sustain their quality improvement initiatives. Our work includes training, technical assistance, and the collection of data to drive decisions and support quality measurement strategies. The Quality Transformation Series will evolve to become DCPCA’s Quality Institute, an ongoing umbrella for training and technical assistance.
Capital Projects
Capital Projects was initiated in 2005 as a $21 million grant program that leverages money from the DC government to assist individual community-based health centers build, expand, and renovate facilities. To date, funds have been allocated to 12 health centers in almost every ward in the District. Of these projects, four are clinic renovations, six are clinic replacements, one is a major expansion, and one is a second site for an existing health center.
Medical Homes DC
Medical Homes DC was initiated in 2004 with a $70 million grant from the DC Department of Health. The program is transforming the District’s health care safety net by enhancing the quality and effectiveness of many primary care clinics and health centers. Medical Homes DC improves the health of our community and reduces the cost of health care delivery by dramatically increasing the number of residents who have established – and use – a medical home.
Community Health Workers
The Community Health Workers program is a multi-faceted initiative to develop a culturally diverse workforce representative of the communities served by DCPCA. One part of this program is the piloting of a Community Health Worker curriculum at the Community College of the District of Columbia. We’ve contracted out to have a curriculum developed to train people who want to become community health workers. Fifteen students are now part of the program.
Capital Health Careers
Capital Health Careers is a three-year grant program funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. DCPCA is a partner in this program, which currently is at the end of its first year. DCPCA is providing data collection for the entire effort. The goal of Capital Health Careers is to train and place 550 health care workers. The program pays for their tuition and upgrades their skills in an array of allied health fields.
Community HealthCorps
DCPCA serves as Washington, DC’s “hub” for the Community HealthCorps. The Corporation for National and Community Service, also known as AmeriCorps, funds Community HealthCorps. We’ve been involved in this program for three years. In 2010, all nine volunteers completed the program successfully and three have been hired by the sites where they performed their volunteer service.
For more information on DCPCA programs, send an email to dcpca@dcpca.org or call (202) 638-0252.
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