VALLEY WIDE HEALTH SYSTEMS, INC.
Grant: $1,576,360 - Health Resources and Services Administration - Jun. 25, 2009
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Award Description: For 33-years Valley-Wide Health Systems, Inc. (VWHS) has provided essential primary care services as the safety-net provider in 18 Colorado counties, including Farmworker Health Service Program (FWHS) voucher sites. Areas served are rural or frontier, Medically Underserved Areas/Populations and/or Health Professional Shortage Areas, isolated geographically, immersed in poverty and include 9 of the 11 poorest counties, where significant populations live ?200% of the FPL. They are also represented by higher unemployment rates, percentages of uninsured, people living below FPL, age 65 and older, children living in poverty, and of Hispanic origin compared to the State. On June 25, 2009 VWHS was awarded CIP dollars for three high priority capital needs including equipment to enhance an existing integrated Health Information Technology system (HIT) and two primary health care facility renovations. Facility renovations are targeted for two high-poverty rural service areas. The first renovation is for VWHS’ primary care clinic, Guadalupe Health Center (GHC), located in rural south central Colorado in Conejos County. The second renovation and expansion project is for VWHS’ Las Animas Clinic located on the eastern plans of Colorado in Bent County. The HIT equipment will support the implementation of an Electronic Health Record (EHR) for multiple medical clinics plus ancillary services and outreach programs and an Electronic Dental Record system (EDR) for multiple dental clinics. This EHR implementation will complement an Electronic Practice Management system that was implemented earlier this year. These three projects offer the catalyst to improve access, safe and effective care, and primary healthcare service delivery as well as social and economic development and vitality to each community.
Project Description: An NGA was received on June 25, 2009. The NGA contained multiple terms and conditions for all three projects. A second NGA was received on 7/30/09 with more conditions, and still dated 6/25/09. Since then, VWHS has worked diligently to meet the NGA terms and conditions specified for each project. Several terms and conditions were generic for all grantees and did not apply to VWHS’ projects, however for those that did, VWHS submitted all required documents. As of 9/30/09 none of the conditions were removed and the construction activities have not begun, limiting report progress for this period to required document submission. Because the HIT project is an enhancement of an existing system, a number of purchase activities relative to the HIT project were completed during this quarter ending 9/30/09. Costs specific to the CIP funding were incurred as of 9/30/09 ($263,063), but no cash draw downs were made because the revised NGA releasing the conditions on this project was not received until 10/5/09.
Infrastructure Description: The CIP funding awarded to VWHS supports the Recovery Act goals to 1) preserve and create jobs and promote economic recovery, 2) provide investments need to increase economic efficiency by spurring technological advances in science and health, and 3) invest in transportation, environmental protection, and other infrastructure that will provide long-term economic benefits. The three projects selected meet the objectives for CIP funding criteria and will significantly improve access, safety, workflow efficiencies, and increase work environment satisfaction assisting with provider recruitment and retention strategies that contribute to increased healthcare access. Further, the two renovation projects will create new construction jobs, stimulate the economy through building supply purchases, and upgrade the facilities promoting efficiency and community revitalization. The purchase and implementation of a comprehensive and integrated HIT is intended as a practical and necessary strategy to: • Promote utilization of technologically integrated evidence-based standards into patient care at the point of service, • Streamline and centralize work practices, • Enhance efficiencies through timely information management, and • Vitalize sustainability in the coming years. Finally, this project will generate direct and indirect economic revenue in communities served, aligning strategies with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Jobs Summary: New jobs created: Health Center Patient support staff: 0.0 FTE Construction: 0.0 FTE Jobs retained: Not part of this proposal (Total jobs reported: 0)
Project Status: Less Than 50% Completed
This award's data was last updated on Jun. 25, 2009. Help expand these official descriptions using the wiki below.
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