Quick Finds: HIT/Data

Beyond Screening: Using SDOH Data for Effective Care Solutions (2024). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: This webinar reviews how to support timely social needs referrals and care planning and operationalize social needs data. The presenter provides guidance on optimizing social needs screening workflows, including those housed in Electronic Health Records (EHRs), for following up on positive screens and effectively using the collected data. A panel of expert health center representatives share examples of how these workflows can be applied. While this webinar focuses on HCH health centers, anyone involved directly in social needs screening processes is welcome. More Details...

Strengthening NP/PA Residency Programs through Academic, Clinical, & Community Partnerships (2024). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: This webinar explores the essential components of successful primary care nurse practitioner/physician associate (NP/PA) residency programs, including program structure and the value of academic, clinical, and community partnerships. Along with experts from CHC, this webinar includes a health center spotlight on successfully implementing a residency program with strong partnerships. By the end, viewers will have a clear understanding of how to build effective, sustainable NP/PA residency programs and enhance clinical workforce development. More Details...

Assessing the Care Team Tech Experience: A Digital Health Tool Toolkit: HITEQ Center, created through Aliados Health (2024). Resource Type: Toolkit. Description: This toolkit helps health center electronic health record (EHR) and Information Technology (IT) departments to deliver effective EHR training for staff, whether for new hires, rolling out new EHR modules, or providing ongoing training support. More Details...

Community Health Center Chartbook 2024: Analysis of 2022 UDS Data (2024). Resource Type: Publication. Description: The annual Community Health Center Chartbook presents data on Federally Qualified Health Centers, including Health Center Program Grantees and Look-Alike organizations. The chartbook includes summary data on health center patients, services, staffing, quality outcomes, and impact on access to care and health equity. More Details...

Digital Health Strategy Resources: Companion to Digital Health Strategy Learning Collaborative (2024). Resource Type: Toolkit. Description: This resource is a companion to the Digital Health Strategy Learning Collaborative. It provides helpful resources by offering the knowledge necessary to develop and implement a digital health strategy in which all health IT operates. More Details...

Health Center Dashboard Design Guide (2024). Resource Type: Publication. Description: The purpose of this resource is to provide a comprehensive guide to user-centered dashboard design for health center staff. The accompanying workbook provides a guided series of prompts and questions for health center dashboard developers. More Details...

"Data Disaggregation: Principles, Promising Practices, and Lessons Learned To Advance Health Equity" Report (2024). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This report outlines the data disaggregation principles, promising practices, and lessons learned based on an environmental scan and feedback from health center stakeholders in Asian American (AA) and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (NH/PI)-serving health centers. More Details...

NACHC UDS+ Testing Forum (2024). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: NACHC in partnership with the Uniform Data System Test Cooperative (UTC) will convene a UDS+ Testing Forum for Community Health Centers, Primary Care Associations (PCAs) and Health Center Controlled networks (HCCNs). The UDS+ Testing forum will allow HIT vendors an opportunity to share their current experience with the testing process and assist Community Health Centers and other stakeholders in preparing for upcoming submission opportunities. More Details...

MLPs in EMR, the Next Frontier: One System's Success: Health Center MLP Planning, Implementation & Practice (PIP) Webinar Series (2024). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: Successful integration of legal services into workflows and systems, focusing on an Epic integration within a large MLP framework More Details...

Environmental Preparedness for Health Centers: HITEQ On the Horizon (2024). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: Climate change-induced weather events such as heat waves, poor air quality, and flooding are increasing in frequency and intensity. Health centers are challenged to maintain their own health IT and operations, ensuring continuity of care for their patients, particularly individuals who are more likely to be impacted by climate change-related disasters. More Details...

Digital Health Strategy to Enable Comprehensive Care: Introduction to Digital Health Strategy in Health Centers: Virtual Learning Collaborative (2024). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: This session got participants acquainted with digital health strategy in providing comprehensive primary care. Attendees learned about utilizing digital tools in health centers and improving patient care. More Details...

Clinical Quality Measures for Eligible Professionals: 2024 Update: A crosswalk of Clinical Quality Measures for UDS and other reporting from The HITEQ Center (2024). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: This spreadsheet developed by the HITEQ Center provides a crosswalk of Clinical Quality Measures and their electronic specifications as defined in the 2023 update for Eligible Professionals (Clinicians). More Details...

Clinical Quality Measures for Eligible Professionals: 2024 Update: A crosswalk of Clinical Quality Measures for UDS and other reporting from The HITEQ Center (2024). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: This spreadsheet developed by the HITEQ Center provides a crosswalk of Clinical Quality Measures and their electronic specifications as defined in the 2024 update for Eligible Professionals (Clinicians). More Details...

On the Horizon: UDS+ and Race, Ethnicity, and Language Collection: Roundtable Series (2024). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: The Community Health Care Association of New York State and Sun River Health, a health center in New York, joined the HITEQ Center for a discussion on UDS+ and the collection of granular race, ethnicity, and language (REaL) data. Sun River Health shared their experience collecting REaL data, including how they\'ve updated and optimized systems, tracked their data, and addressed challenges. More Details...

Digital Health Strategy to Enable Comprehensive Care: The Importance of Digital Health in Health Centers: Virtual Learning Collaborative (2024). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: In this session, participants learned why digital health strategy is essential for health centers to remain competitive, meet consumer and patient demands and make care more accessible for all patients. Attendees learned how digital health strategy improves patient care and engagement and improves health outcomes for all. More Details...

Advancing Interoperability & Health Information Exchange for Health Centers - An Overview and Discussion on Enhancing Health Outcomes with the Oklahoma MyHealth Access Network: HITEQ Highlights Webinar (2024). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: In this session participants learned what standards-based exchange is, why it is important, what it makes possible, and what they need to do. Dr. David Kendrick led the session to provide insight into how MyHealth Access Network provides advanced health information exchange, community-wide care coordination tools, and a robust decision support platform designed to support providers and patients in improving health outcomes. More Details...

Engaging Partners and Technology to Support Care of Justice-Involved Patients: Virtual Webinar (2024). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: In this session, participants learned from Harris Health (Texas) and Community Medical Centers Inc. (California) to hear about their expanded services for behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment for justice-involved community members. Attendees learned from these two healthcare providers that have made a commitment to offering care to justice -involved patients, and their journeys to build positive partnerships improving access to service. More Details...

HITEQ On the Horizon: Environmental Preparedness for Health Centers : Roundtable Series (2024). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: Climate change-induced weather events such as heat waves, poor air quality, and flooding are increasing in frequency and intensity. Health centers are challenged to maintain their own operations and ensure continuity of care for their patients, particularly individuals who are more likely to be impacted by climate change-related disasters. In this session, health center participants and HITEQ facilitators discussed how health IT and EHRs can be used to identify and protect impacted populations. The discussion will be focused around three strategies: 1) developing a health center emergency response plan; 2) utilizing patient data to support patient resilience; and 3) developing communication outreach systems for weather emergencies. More Details...

HITEQ On the Horizon: Demystifying Current and Future Clinical Quality Measure Reporting: UDS+ and the Adult Weight Screening and Follow-up Measure Roundtable: Roundtable Series (2024). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: This session explored the current and future UDS clinical quality measure reporting, through one of the more complicated and expansive measures: Adult Weight Screening and Follow-up Clinical Quality Measure that is included in Table 6B and, in the future, UDS+ reporting. Attendees gained an understanding of the measure specifications, including defining the denominator and compliance. Common challenges as well as health center successes will be discussed. More Details...

Clinical Quality Measures 101: Assessing Data Alignment: Virtual Learning Collaborative (2024). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: In this session, we discussed how data alignment can help your progress on clinical quality measures. We focused on tying the CQM requirements and specifications to clinical practice through quality improvement efforts. More Details...

Clinical Quality Measures 101-- Readiness for Value Based Care and Patient-Level Data Reporting: Virtual Learning Collaborative Series (2024). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: As health centers engage with more quality programs through payers, funders, and others there is a pressing need for health center staff to have a foundational understanding of clinical quality measures, quality programs, and how these fit together and fit into the patient care provided in health centers. This learning collaborative is appropriate for health center personnel looking for a simple, foundational understanding of the quality measures and related programs. More Details...

Health Center Resilience in the Face of Cyber Adversity: A Case Study of the Family Health Center of Worcester's Ransomware Incident, February 2024 (2024). Resource Type: Publication. Description: The use of ransomware -- malicious software that restricts access to computer systems with financial demands -- has escalated, targeting health centers and putting countless lives at risk. This dire reality came to the forefront during the alarming ransomware attack on the Family Health Center of Worcester, Inc. (FHCW), where the personal health information and care continuity for thousands of patients were compromised. This resource uses FHCW's experience as a case study to demonstrate the imperative of preparedness and the strength of a community-centered response in ensuring the continuity of healthcare services amidst the ever-growing tide of cyber vulnerabilities. More Details...

How EHRs Can Be Leveraged to Streamline Social Needs Screening (2024). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: Learn how screening for housing status and other Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) measures can be introduced or better integrated into health center clinical workflows. Presenters share guidance on implementing and systematizing social needs data collection in Electronic Health Records (EHRs), followed by a panel of expert health center representatives who that speak about their programs’ journeys with social needs screening programs. While this webinar will focus on health care for the homeless (HCH) health centers, anyone involved directly in social needs screening or interested in improving screening processes are welcome. Learning Objectives After this webinar, attendees will… ○ Describe the importance of capturing social needs screening data and how they relate to overall health center services. ○ Appraise their organization’s social needs screening workflow based on promising practices and examples of peer health center examples. ○ Describe strategies that could be applied to their health center to improve or streamline social needs screening process. ○ Identify which strategies demonstrated in the webinar can be introduced at their health center. More Details...

Cyber Insurance & HIPAA Breaches Tip Sheet (2024). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This Tip Sheet specifically addresses how cyber insurance coverage can support health centers in meeting their obligations under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) to respond to security incidents and to report breaches. More Details...

A Profile of Migrant Health 2022 Analysis of HRSA Health Center Data (2023). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This report will analyze the most recent HRSA health center data, including the 2022 UDS (annual dataset) and Health Center Patient Survey (survey completed every five years). The analysis includes summary statistics and trends on MSAW patient demographics, socioeconomic factors, insurance status, health service utilization, and health diagnoses, with the goal of informing health center service delivery and outreach practices. More Details...

HITEQ Highlights: What to Do About Health IT Hazards Associated with Copy and Paste in the EHR: HITEQ Highlights Webinar (2023). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: Copy and paste functionality can support efficiency during clinical documentation, but may promote inaccurate documentation with risks for patient safety. This webinar discussed three key areas where health centers can consider implementing safe practice recommendations: Define copy and paste as a health IT safety issue by identifying the potential patient safety risks Review safe practice recommendations and implementation strategies to mitigate health IT-related hazards and safety issues Disseminate evidence, tools and practices for implementation More Details...

HITEQ Highlights: Crossing The Chasm of Innovation - One FQHC's Journey to Operationalize its Telehealth Strategy: HITEQ Highlights Webinar (2023). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: In this HITEQ Highlights webinar, we focused on the intersection of telehealth strategy and operations. One health center\'s experience of leveraging telehealth as a tool for expanding service delivery and patient access will be a jumping off point from which to consider the benefits (and challenges) of dedicated telehealth resources within an organization. Participants learned how telehealth might benefit recruitment efforts and review relevant resources for ongoing telehealth support. More Details...

Improving Health Center Cybersecurity: Risk Assessment, Breach Defense, Mitigation and Response - Session 4: Virtual Learning Collaborative (2023). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: It's time to reconsider your strategy if you still treat cyber risk as an annual project or initiative. Having a thorough ongoing program in place means that even in the worst-case scenario, you'll be ready to demonstrate that you did what was reasonable and appropriate to protect your systems and patient data. Nothing can guarantee that a cyberattack won't become a breach. Health Centers are a domain with a high potential for data breaches, and the risk continues to grow as health centers use new tools and the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI). As a result, it is crucial for health center leadership to adopt breach prevention strategies across their entire organization, as opposed to relegating it to the IT department. To support health centers in their cybersecurity strategy and implementation, the HITEQ Center is offering a free learning collaborative -- Improving Health Center Cybersecurity: Risk Assessment, Breach Defense, Mitigation, and Response. This learning collaborative will involve four structured virtual learning sessions. During the series participants engaged with subject matter experts and their colleagues in peer-to-peer learning and discussion. Topics included: health center breach mitigation tactics, operationalizing cybersecurity to better mitigate risks, cybersecurity implications of generative artificial intelligence in health centers, and incident response planning from a cybersecurity perspective. More Details...

HITEQ Highlights: Enabling a Cyber-Resilient Health Center: HITEQ Highlights Webinar (2023). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: This HITEQ Highlight aimed to strengthen Health Centers' capacity to build their cyber-resiliency. We covered risk management tools, methods for guarding against cybersecurity assaults, operationalizing cybersecurity to mitigate risks, and breach mitigation tactics. Participants focus on safeguarding data across the entire enterprise and examined approaches to implementing cybersecurity infrastructure through risk management frameworks and strategic risk assessment. More Details...

HITEQ Highlights: Health Centers as Actors (in Information Blocking)!: HITEQ Highlights Webinar (2023). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: The HITEQ Center discussed approaches to balance patient confidentiality, sensitive situations, vulnerable populations, and meeting the provisions in CURES act and information blocking. How health centers should best prepare themselves and their staff to meet the information blocking provisions and better serve the patient population was also discussed. More Details...

FAQ: How will the upcoming changes to the Information Blocking and EHR certification requirements impact health centers?: October 2022 (2023). Resource Type: Publication. Description: When will the new information blocking and EHR certification requirements be in effect? What are the upcoming changes? How will these changes impact health centers? How will the scope of Information Blocking requirements change? How should health centers expand their EHI scope? How will EHR certification requirements change? How should health centers leverage the new FHIR R4 capabilities? More Details...

Navigating Compliance Challenges with the Information Blocking Rule: A Collection of Case Studies: HITEQ Center and Feldesman Tucker Leifer Fidell LLP, September 2023 (2023). Resource Type: Toolkit. Description: The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology’s (ONC) 21st Century Cures Act Information Blocking Rule (Info Blocking Rule) prohibits covered actors – including health care providers, health IT developers of certified health IT, and health information exchanges/health information networks– from engaging in practices likely to interfere with, prevent, or materially discourage access, exchange, or use of electronic health information (EHI). The Info Blocking Rule includes eight exceptions that provide actors with certainty that, when their practice interferes with the access, exchange, or use of EHI and meets the conditions of one or more exception, such practice will not be considered information blocking.1 More Details...

National School-Based Health Care Census (2023). Resource Type: Publication. Description: The School-Based Health Alliance conducts a triennial national survey of school-based, school-linked, mobile health, and telehealth programs called the National Census of School-Based Health Centers. More Details...

National School-Based Health Care Census (2023). Resource Type: Publication. Description: The School-Based Health Alliance conducts a triennial national survey of school-based, school-linked, mobile health, and telehealth programs called the National Census of School-Based Health Centers. More Details...

Health Center Guidelines for Implementing FHIR and the Information Blocking Rule: HITEQ Center, September 2023 (2023). Resource Type: Toolkit. Description: The 21st Century Cures Act and the ONC Health IT Certification Program include rules for technical configuration and use of Health Level 7® (HL7) Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources® (FHIR) for health data exchange and accessibility. Health centers are directed to enable and publish their healthcare data locations, known as FHIR endpoints,* to and from their electronic health record (EHR). Part of the Cures Act, known as the Information Blocking Rule, mandates that patients have “easy” access to their digital medical information, costs and claims associated with their health record, and whom the data can be shared with. More Details...

Cybersecurity: Ask Me Anything: HITEQ Highlights Webinar (2023). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: This session sought to motivate and educate Health Center staff and leadership on current critical cybersecurity threats, concepts, and methods for the defense of health data. A panel of cybersecurity experts addressed questions on how to best protect the health center from both internal and external network leaks, through malware such as ransomware, and through physical means on-site. More Details...

FAQ: How can health centers comply with both 42 CFR Part 2 and the Information Blocking Rule?: July 2023 (2023). Resource Type: Toolkit. Description: What are the HIPAA guidelines related to PHI and PII? What is 42 CFR Part 2? What is the Information Blocking Rule? How can my health center comply with both 42 CFR Part 2 and the Information Blocking Rule? How can my health center safeguard EHI on the patient portal following 42 CFR Part 2? How can I find out if 42 CFR Part 2 applies to my health center? Where can I find sample Information Blocking policies, procedures, and templates? More Details...

Interoperability Readiness Scorecard: HITEQ Center, July 2023 (2023). Resource Type: Template. Description: Many health centers struggle to reap the benefits of technological advancement and investments in health information technology (health IT), while others embrace them and reap rewards. Interoperability is one such example; requiring health centers assess systems, relationships, and implementation. There are keys to successful interoperability implementation for which health centers must develop processes, stand up infrastructure (within the system, internally and externally, and organization), and then take action. Process refers to structured processes, policies, and procedures within the health center. Infrastructure refers to structural capacity and ability within the health center’s technology and staffing structure. Action refers to full implementation to the point of active and ongoing use and engagement. This scorecard encourages health centers to consider their processes, infrastructure, and action in a number of key areas. Each area key to interoperability are to be self-graded on a scale of 1 through 5, where 1 is poorly or not yet developed and 5 is well developed. Health centers can also use this to guide discussions and monitor progress over time. evaluate once steps have been completed. More Details...

Assessing Patient Satisfaction with Telehealth at Community Health Centers: A Policy Brief (2023). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This brief describes findings from a national assessment of health center patients’ experiences with telehealth and the policy implications of these findings. The assessment focused on three key aspects of telehealth utilization, including 1) ease of use, 2) interaction with the clinician, and 3) overall comfort/satisfaction. More Details...

The HITEQ Center Podcast: Sharing Virtual Care Success Stories and Lessons Learned in 2022 and 2023 (2023). Resource Type: Podcast. Description: HITEQ is highlighting stories of leveraging the EHR, health IT, digital health tools, and other virtual care supports for health center recovery and stabilization during the COVID-19 pandemic and thereafter in this series of podcasts. We are lifting up stories that demonstrate the promise of digital and health IT tools to address the timely needs of health centers and their patients, emphasizing those that support high value, equitable care for all health center patients and that reduce provider burden. More Details...

Promoting Cybersecurity Awareness for Patients: Protecting yourself when using patient portals, health apps, and online medical devices, June 2023. (2023). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: This training guide provides patients with knowledge and awareness about cybersecurity threats to protect their personal health data and to minimize risks from computer viruses and malware. More Details...

Health IT Optimization for Effective PrEP Services: HITEQ Center, June 2023 (2023). Resource Type: Toolkit. Description: Health centers are increasingly interested in embedding oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) programs into primary care, which calls for the embedding of PrEP care processes into electronic health record (EHR) systems. Health centers have had success with automation in HIV testing, and are looking to apply automated algorithms, order sets, and templates to the development of PrEP programs. This resource outlines EHR and health information technology (IT) configurations and tools that support PrEP care processes and provides examples of successful implementation from health centers and primary care settings. More Details...

Sensitive Information and the Electronic Patient Record: HITEQ Center, June 2023 (2023). Resource Type: Toolkit. Description: With nearly 100% of community health centers utilizing electronic health records (EHR) to care for patients, focus has pivoted from implementation and new workflow development to enhancement in order to drive value and reflect patient needs and population trends. EHR technology presents potential opportunities and significant constraints. Providers frequently document and share potentially sensitive information in the EHR, such as risk for intimate partner violence (IPV), consistent offers of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), or patient sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI). More Details...

Addressing IPV/HT with New OCHIN Smartform (2023). Resource Type: Publication. Description: Developed in partnership with OCHIN, this Health Information Technology (HIT) Memo discusses how health centers (HCs) can partner with HIT platforms to improve patient quality of care and privacy. This resource explains the lessons learned from our recent development of the OCHIN EHR Smartform and publicizes its availability to OCHIN members and others. More Details...

A Guide to Essential Cybersecurity Tasks for Health Centers: For health centers with limited resources, developed in June 2023 (2023). Resource Type: Toolkit. Description: In an increasingly connected healthcare landscape, health centers face a dual challenge: the rising tide of cyber threats and the need to comply with stringent data protection regulations, all while managing limited resources. The ever-evolving nature of cyberattacks and the complexity of compliance requirements make it essential for health centers to prioritize cybersecurity tasks effectively. More Details...

The Managed Care Data Set - Video: Developed with Starling Advisors in 2022 (2023). Resource Type: E-Learning. Description: This is the second in a three module value based care basics series from the HITEQ Center. This module was developed by Starling Advisors in 2022. More Details...

Clinical Quality Measures for Eligible Professionals: 2023 Update: A crosswalk of Clinical Quality Measures for UDS and other reporting from The HITEQ Center (2023). Resource Type: Toolkit. Description: This spreadsheet developed by the HITEQ Center provides a crosswalk of Clinical Quality Measures and their electronic specifications as defined in the 2023 update for Eligible Professionals (Clinicians). Fields include the crosswalk of measures with related information about CMS, NQF, and MIPS ID, and Telehealth Eligiblity, as well as inclusion in HRSA BPHC Uniform Data System (UDS) CY2023, Million Hearts, CMS Quality Payment Program (QPP) - APM Performance Pathway (APP) Measures, Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP)/ CMS ACO Shared Savings Program, CMS Core Set (Child Core Set Medicaid / CHIP): HEDIS Specified, CMS Core Set (Adult Core Set Medicaid): HEDIS Specified, Core Quality Measures Collaborative (ACO / Primary Care). Links are included throughout. More Details...

Clinical Data Elements for UDS eCQMs and their Lookback Timeframes: Useful for EHR transition planning; developed in 2023. (2023). Resource Type: Toolkit. Description: Each electronic clinical quality measure (eCQM) is composed of data elements in the EHR or health IT system that are evaluated according to the measure specifications. It is important to identify what data elements need to be transitioned to any new EHR for clinical quality measure continuity and accuracy. This resource identifies clinical data elements in eCQMs that should be considered when transitioning EHRs. These data elements are used in reporting or calculating eCQMs, so their availability or lack thereof in any new EHR system will impact reporting accuracy. More Details...

SDOH Screening & Referrals to Support Diabetes Control: Screening & Coding, Care Team Optimization, Referrals to the Community & Closing the Loop (2023). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: In this three-part webinar series hosted by the National Nurse-led Care Consortium (NNCC), participants can expect to learn about the importance of SDOH screenings and whole-person wellness to improve diabetes management and outcomes. Presenters will share their knowledge of executing patient centered SDOH screening tools and referrals to support services while managing diabetes. This series will discuss implementing best practices for patient-centered approaches to care by utilizing SDOH screening and care team optimization and coordination. More Details...

Demonstrating Quality in Medical Respite Care: The Importance of Data (2023). Resource Type: E-Learning. Description: Identifying and tracking outcomes in medical respite is an important way to identify program progress and demonstrate effectiveness of medical respite care. This course provides an overview on ways to identify and track outcomes within medical respite care programs. More Details...