Susan

COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING/CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING - NON-CONSTRUCTION - GALLUP COMMUNITY HEALTH (GCH) IS A NON-PROFIT 501(C)(3) NEWLY DESIGNATED HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (HRSA) HEALTH CENTER PROGRAM LOOK-ALIKE AND IS THE ONLY EFFECTIVE SAFETY NET PROVIDER IN MCKINLEY COUNTY, NEW MEXICO SERVING BOTH THE NATIVE AMERICAN AND NON-NATIVE LOW-INCOME POPULATIONS. THE GCH PRIMARY CARE EXPANSION WILL SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE ACCESS TO PRIMARY CARE FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF ALL AGES, WITH THE ADDITION OF PROVIDER STAFF (NURSE PRACTITIONER, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT) AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND CLINICAL SUPPORT STAFF REQUIRED TO FACILITATE AND LEVERAGE THE WORK OF THESE PROVIDERS. THE PROGRAM WILL IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF CARE PROVIDED VIA THE ADDITION OF CHRONIC CARE MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR BOTH MEDICARE AND MEDICAID PATIENTS. THE EXPANSION WILL FACILITATE PARTICIPATION IN VALUE BASED CARE AND ALTERNATE PAYMENT MODELS AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL, POSITIONING GCH AS A MODEL FOR OTHER RURAL FACILITIES IN NEW MEXICO AND BEYOND. FINALLY, THE FUNDING WILL PROVIDE SUPPLIES NEEDED TO SUPPORT THESE OBJECTIVES AND WILL FURTHER GCH'S COMMITMENT TO TRAINING LOCAL HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS AT ALL LEVELS OF LICENSURE, INCREASING THE CAPACITY AND QUALITY OF CARE OF THE BROADER LOCAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. THE EXPANSION AIMS TO ADDRESS THE DIRE NEED FOR PRIMARY CARE AS EVIDENCED BY MCKINLEY COUNTY'S HIGH HPSA SCORE AND LIFE-EXPECTANCY A FULL DECADE SHORTER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE, ATTRIBUTED TO A COMBINATION OF CHRONIC PHYSICAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONDITIONS.