FRESNO, CALIF. -- NOV. 16, 2010 – Continuing its commitment to support the needs of physicians and patients in the Central Valley, EHS Medical Group, the largest Medicaid Accountable Care Organization in California, today announced two grant awards to local organizations through its Partners in Quality Health Care Program.
United Health Centers of San Joaquin Valley (UHC) and the University of California, San Francisco Fresno Medical Education and Research Program (UCSF Fresno) will each receive grants in the amount of $10,000 to fund initiatives that will enhance technology and support an annual student internship program, respectively.
“The EHS Partners in Quality Health Care Program is designed to support the needs of physicians in the Central Valley,” said Peter Winston, executive vice president at EHS. “We selected these organizations because, like EHS, they are committed to offering services and programs that benefit the entire region.”
United Health Centers: Technology Upgrade for Clinics
UHC is a network of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) with seven locations throughout the San Joaquin Valley. These clinics provide care to a large share of the underserved population, including 9,000 EHS members. UHC plans to add new locations over the next two years. The EHS grant will support the expansion of current health information technology (HIT) initiatives as well as new ones, including e-prescribing, e-lab ordering and electronic medical records (EMR). It will also go towards an upgrade of existing network hardware and an introduction of enterprise-class wireless infrastructure to UHC clinics in Mendota and Kerman.
“One of the most important goals we have over the next several years is to upgrade our technology to ensure all of our sites have electronic medical records,” said Colleen Curtis, chief executive officer of UHC. “EHS recognizes the importance of creating a solid technology infrastructure, which will increase efficiency at the clinics and allow our physicians to focus on providing accessible, comprehensive quality health care to everyone.”
UCSF Fresno: Support for Biomedical Research Opportunities for High School Students
The second gift will be presented to UCSF Fresno to support their annual Summer Biomedical Internship Program (SBI), a program designed to enhance the opportunity for students to develop an understanding of biomedical sciences while introducing them to a career in health care. Nine students are chosen each year, based on their scholastic abilities. Applications are accepted from a six-county area: Merced, Mariposa, Madera, Fresno, Tulare and Kings. UCSF faculty, his or her staff and the SBI students work together daily for 6-8 weeks.
“The Summer Biomedical Internship program provides high school students with valuable experiences that enable them to explore career opportunities in health and medicine and increases their competitiveness for higher education,” said Joan L. Voris, MD, associate dean at UCSF Fresno. “Many SBI graduates are now working in the area as doctors, nurses and pharmacists. We are grateful to EHS Medical Group for supporting this program and helping UCSF Fresno grow Valley doctors.”
About EHS Medical Group and the Partners in Quality Health Care Program
Launched in 1990, EHS Medical Group is a medical professional corporation and integrated health care delivery system that focuses on government programs, organized labor and specialty IPAs. A physician-centric accountable care model promotes growth and sustainability for individual physicians by providing access to a robust offering of products, services and management tools. By empowering physicians, supporting the practice of evidence-based medicine and expanding and integrating as a network, we strive to deliver efficient, cost-effective and high-quality coordinated care to members in California, and throughout the country. For more information, visit www.ehsmd.com. The EHS Partners in Quality Health Care Program was created to support the needs of physicians and patients in the Central Valley. For more information, or to submit a grant proposal for consideration, please contact EHS Regional Manager James C. Richardson via email at [email protected].
