Southcentral Foundation Receives Three Community Health Quality Recognition Badges
As part of its efforts to provide comprehensive healthcare in the region it serves, Southcentral Foundation operates 17 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). An FQHC is defined as “a community-based health care provider that receives federal funding to provide comprehensive primary care services to underserved populations.”(1) 15 of the FQHCs SCF operates are located in rural Alaska, while two are located in Anchorage.
In recognition of the high-quality care SCF’s FQHCs provide, they recently received three Community Health Quality Recognition (CHQR) badges from the United States Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). CHQR badges are earned by Health Center Program Awardees that achieve quality improvements in access, clinical quality, health outcomes, and health information technology. This year, SCF was the sole recipient in Alaska for the Quality Leader for Diabetes and Behavioral Health badge. SCF also received a badge for Advancing Health Information Technology.
The criteria to receive these badges include:
| Behavioral Health Badge | |
| Meet or exceed at least two of the three measured targets | 1. Depression remission at twelve months. | Target 18% (Top quartile of 2023 UDS Data) |
2. Screening for depression and follow-up plan | Target: 85.8% (Top quartile of 2023 UDS Data) | |
3. Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) (Proportion of all patients receiving SBIRT) | Target: At least 5 % | |
| Diabetes Health Badge | |
| Meet or exceed at least two of the three measured targets | 1. Adult Body Mass Index (BMI) screening and follow up plan. | Target: 86% (Top quartile of 2023 UDS Data) |
2. Weight assessment and counseling for nutrition and physical activity for children and adolescents. | Target: 85% (Top quartile of 2023 UDS Data) | |
3. Diabetes: Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) Poor Control (>9.0%) – Inverse Measure (uncontrolled diabetes) | Target: 11.6% (Healthy People 2030 Target) | |
| Advancing Health Information Technology |
1. Offer telehealth services. |
2. Exchange clinical information online with key providers’ health care setting |
3. Engage patients through HIT |
4. Collect data on patient health-related needs |
If you would like more information about SCF’s FQHCs, SCF’s approach to rural and remote care, or any other aspect of SCF’s Nuka System of Care, feel free to contact the SCF Learning Institute.
Stories from SCF’s rural healthcare providers can be found here:
Julianna Anelon: Integrating Traditional Medicine in Modern Care – Southcentral Foundation
Rural Provider Highlight: Robert Stephan – Southcentral Foundation
(1). Definition from the State of Alaska Department of Health’s website: https://health.alaska.gov/en/services/health-care-facilities-licensing-certification-all/federally-qualified-health-centers-fqhcs/
