BUFFALO, NY – HEALTHeLINK, the health information exchange for Western New York, announced today it is a Phase 1 winner of the Building Bridges to Better Health: A Primary Health Care Challenge sponsored by the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA). The goal of this multi-phase challenge is to enhance access and care coordination to achieve better health and reduce disparities utilizing technical assistance solutions. There were more than 130 applicants from which HRSA selected HEALTHeLINK as one of 27 Phase 1 winners from across the country. Each winner was awarded $11,111 to help fund their project and move on to Phase 2 of the challenge.
HEALTHeLINK’s project focuses on the design and development of its HEALTHeQUALITY technical assistance solution that supports Federally Qualified Health Centers to advance health equity.
“Health center patients experience multiple barriers, such as environmental factors where they live and work, that may reduce access to health care and increase the risk of poor health outcomes,” said Drew McNichol, director of technology and security officer, HEALTHeLINK. “Through this project we are hoping to help health centers effectively improve patient outcomes with a technical solution to close clinical gaps in care and monitor social determinants of health, ultimately advancing health equity.”
Phase 2 of the challenge recently launched and HEALTHeLINK will be putting HEALTHeQUALITY into production over the next several months to collect and measure the improvement of patient outcomes.
The Building Bridges to Better Health: A Primary Health Care Challenge continues through August 2023. For additional details, visit https://www.challenge.gov/?challenge=building-bridges-to-better-health%3A-a-primary-health-care-challenge&tab=overview.
