The Philadelphia-based National Nursing Centers Consortium has been selected to receive up to $2.1 million over four years to participate in a patient data initiative sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Through the "Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative," NNCC will provide resources and technical assistance to clinicians around the country with a goal to better track and improve quality of care, according to the Philadelphia Business Journal.
The grant will enable the consortium to help support 7,000 clinicians over the next four years, many recruited from the Philadelphia area, in efforts designed to equip them with tools, information and network support.
A significant aspect of the initiative will be to improve medical records systems, not just making them easier to navigate but adding new variables that will address the needs of populations whose care can be improved with greater background knowledge.
At Kennet Square's La Comunidad Hispana health center, for example, medical records now include whether patients are employed or need assistance finding employment. For those who aren't yet citizens or haven't identified educational goals, adding this information to records can help clinicians better assess the factors contributing to the health status of their patients. They can also potentially point them toward community resources.
The NNCC will collaborate with the American Association of Nurse Practitioners on the initiative, which will provide webinars, online courses, peer-reviewed educational content, and in-person training.