Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 22, 2026
14:32
Using Visual and Narrative Methods to Achieve Fair Process in Clinical Care
Published on: February 16, 2011
Clinical quality performance in U.S. health centers
Leiyu Shi1, Lydie A Lebrun, Jinsheng Zhu
1Department of Health Policy and Management Director, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins Primary Care Policy Center, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Health Services Research
|May 19, 2012
Summary
Community health centers offer quality care comparable to national averages. Improving patient insurance coverage and increasing physician staffing can enhance health center performance.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Healthcare Quality
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Community health centers (CHCs) are vital for providing healthcare to underserved populations.
- Assessing the clinical quality of CHCs is essential for ensuring equitable and effective patient care.
- Understanding factors influencing CHC performance can guide quality improvement initiatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the current clinical quality of community health centers nationwide.
- To identify specific health center characteristics associated with superior performance in patient care.
Main Methods:
- Utilized national data from the 2009 Uniform Data System.
- Analyzed six key quality measures: prenatal care, immunizations, Pap tests, low birth weight, hypertension control, and diabetes control.
- Employed logistic regression to determine the impact of patient, provider, and institutional factors on performance.
Main Results:
- CHC clinical quality generally aligns with national averages across key indicators.
- Centers with higher proportions of uninsured patients showed lower performance.
- Increased ratios of physicians and enabling service providers correlated with better performance outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Community health centers deliver care quality comparable to national benchmarks.
- Strategies to enhance CHC performance include expanding patient insurance coverage and optimizing staffing ratios for physicians and support services.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Specialized Care Centers and Settings-II
Rural Health Centers
Rural health centers are specialized care facilities in remote locations with very few medical personnel. The primary care providers who run the centers are mostly Registered Nurse Practitioners. Here, emergency treatment is provided to critically ill or injured patients before they are transferred to the closest hospital. Fortunately, due to advancement in technology, many rural healthcare facilities and professionals have easy access to diagnostic and treatment...
Rural health centers are specialized care facilities in remote locations with very few medical personnel. The primary care providers who run the centers are mostly Registered Nurse Practitioners. Here, emergency treatment is provided to critically ill or injured patients before they are transferred to the closest hospital. Fortunately, due to advancement in technology, many rural healthcare facilities and professionals have easy access to diagnostic and treatment...
01:30Specialized Care Centers and Settings-I
Specialized care settings or centers are situated in convenient locations within the community and offer care to a specific group or population. They consist of daycare facilities, mental health facilities, rural health facilities, educational institutions, industries, shelters for the homeless, and rehabilitation facilities.
Daycare centers
They provide several functions. Some facilities care for healthy newborns and children whose parents work, while others are medically focused and care for...
Daycare centers
They provide several functions. Some facilities care for healthy newborns and children whose parents work, while others are medically focused and care for...
01:30Health Information Technology and Healthcare Information System
Health Information Technology (HIT)
Health Information Technology, commonly called HIT, integrates advanced information systems and technology in healthcare settings. Its primary functions include:
Health Information Technology, commonly called HIT, integrates advanced information systems and technology in healthcare settings. Its primary functions include:
01:05Quality Control
Quality control is one of the three cyclical quality assurance activities that help keep a system under statistical control. Typical quality control activities include creating quality control charts, conducting proficiency testing, and documenting and archiving results.
Quality control helps track data, visualize trends, and identify variations, making it easier to detect deviations that may affect the accuracy of an analysis. One way to do this is by generating a quality control chart, which...
Quality control helps track data, visualize trends, and identify variations, making it easier to detect deviations that may affect the accuracy of an analysis. One way to do this is by generating a quality control chart, which...
01:30Primary Healthcare Services
Primary care promotes wellness and prevents disease. This care includes health promotion, education, protection (such as immunizations), early disease screening, and environmental considerations. Settings providing this type of healthcare include physician offices, public health clinics, school nursing, and community health nursing.
In 1978, international leaders convened in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan, for what would be a pivotal event in global health. The Alma-Ata Declaration was the first to call...
In 1978, international leaders convened in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan, for what would be a pivotal event in global health. The Alma-Ata Declaration was the first to call...
01:13Patient-centered Care
Patient-centered care involves delivering care beyond inpatient hospitalization. Reflective practice can enhance a patient-centered approach. Reflective practice is a process of reasoning that considers all aspects of the present situation, including practicalities, learning from personal practice, and consideration of patient needs. Patients appreciate care decisions made while considering their input. Involving the patient in their care provides the patient with a sense of contribution rather...