Preventing and treating chronic disease in safety net populations through a faculty development program

The Health Resources and Services Administration's Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) "Health Disparities Initiative" is using the Chronic Care Model to improve chronic disease and preventive care in nearly half of the nation's 700 community health centers which serve over 10 million poor and underserved Americans. This landmark effort, facilitated by the Foundation's Improving Chronic Illness Care national program, may represent the most far-reaching American clinical quality improvement initiative in existence. Data collected to date on over 50,000 low-income patients with diabetes, asthma, and cardiovascular disease have documented significant improvements in processes of care (blood glucose checks, physical activity, and other health behavior change goals established) and clinical outcomes (e.g., blood glucose level, blood pressure). The purpose of this project is to help spread and maintain these behaviorally and clinically focused health care quality improvement strategies by training a cadre of health care professionals to become experts in behavioral change, clinical care management, rapid cycle systems change, collaborative learning, and intervention tailoring for minority and low-income populations. This project will be considered successful if it increases the number of expert faculty who will serve as faculty for ongoing state and regional CDC- and HRSA-funded Health Disparities collaboratives to further spread evidence-based approaches to the prevention and management of chronic disease.

Grant Details

Amount Awarded $375,000.00

Awarded on: 3/29/2002

Time frame: 4/1/2002 - 6/30/2005

Grant Number: 39173