November 17, 2010
Investing in Primary Health Care: RIGHA Foundation Fund awards $198K in grants
Three local primary health care-focused organizations have been selected to receive grants totaling $198,523 as part of the first round of grants from the new RIGHA Foundation Fund. Earlier this year, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and the RIGHA Foundation announced the transfer of its $1.6 million fund to The Rhode Island Foundation. The new RIGHA Foundation Fund will support The Rhode Island Foundation’s efforts to promote the development of a successful and effective primary health care system in the state.
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, which acquired RIGHA in 1990, will make annual payments to the RIGHA Foundation Fund at the Foundation to further support these efforts. Other Rhode Island Foundation funds provided additional support, bringing the total amount awarded to $234,000.
“We are pleased to announce the first round of grants from this new endowment. These organizations are committed to enhancing access to quality, affordable health in our state and we are delighted this new partnership with Harvard Pilgrim Health Care is able to support their efforts,” said Owen Heleen, vice president for grant programs at The Rhode Island Foundation.
“Philanthropic support can provide the seed funding needed to take innovative ideas like these to the next level. The three organizations are working to reduce the cost of delivering high quality primary health care to Rhode Islanders and we are pleased the RIGHA Foundation Fund can support their efforts,” said Karen Voci, executive director, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation.
The 2010 RIGHA Foundation Fund grant recipients:
Rhode Island Health Center Association
Total Grant: $54,000 Amount from RIGHA Foundation Fund: $54,000
The Rhode Island Health Center Association (RIHCA) represents the state's ten community health center groups. Together these community health centers provide primary care services to over 120,000 patients in over 29 locations statewide. National health reform legislation provides both opportunities and challenges to Rhode Island's health centers. The health centers must be ready to expand capacity, attract new primary care providers, evaluate new delivery systems and payment methodologies, and develop strategies to increase quality. This grant provides funding for RIHCA to contract with consultants to undertake this planning effort.
Blackstone Valley Community Health Care, Inc.
Total Grant: $90,000 Amount from RIGHA Foundation Fund: $72,261; From other RIF funds: $17,739
This grant will assist Blackstone Valley Community Health Center (BVCHC) to implement aspects of the patient-centered medical home model. To begin building a team to improve its ability to help patients manage chronic conditions, this grant will provide BVCHC with partial support for a nurse care manager, nutritionist, and pharmacist. The project will also begin the effort to seek National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) accreditation and will integrate the electronic medical and dental records for the health center.
South County Hospital Health Care System
Total Grant: $90,000 Amount from RIGHA Foundation Fund: $72,262; From other RIF funds: $17,738
South County Hospital Healthcare System and its physician and community partners are working to develop a Patient Centered Medical Community (PCMC) as part of the statewide Chronic Care Sustainability Initiative (CSI). CSI aims to demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of primary care in helping patients manage their chronic conditions, diabetes, coronary artery disease, and depression. The state's commercial insurers voluntarily support the costs of this enhanced primary care. This grant will help South County Hospital and six community primary care practices to lay the groundwork for working together in this effort. Specifically, in the PCMC, the partners will enhance the hospital, specialists and community-based resources: adopt and implement the Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model based on the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) standards and guidelines, supported by local multidisciplinary teams and chronic care services; and facilitate adoption of health information technology to ensure electronic information sharing.
Since 2008, The Rhode Island Foundation has made grants of more than $6 million to the health care sector in Rhode Island. The Fund for a Healthy Rhode Island is a new initiative working to improve access to quality primary care through strategic grants and a loan forgiveness program for primary care providers.
This year, the Foundation also co-sponsored a series of public forums with Lt. Governor Elizabeth Roberts called “Making It Work” which brought national leaders in health reform together with business and community leaders, medical providers, insurers, educators, consumer advocates and policy makers, to chart the course for a new, affordable, high quality health care system in Rhode Island.
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