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Opportunities and Challenges for the Federally Qualified Health Center Program: A Critical Review.
Vicki Fung1,2, Damian Archer3,4, Jennifer S Haas1,2
1Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA;
Annual Review of Public Health
|October 29, 2025
Summary
Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) improve primary care access for underserved populations. Evidence shows FQHCs provide quality care, but require stable funding and policy support for continued growth.
Area of Science:
- Health Services Research
- Public Health Policy
- Primary Care Medicine
Background:
- Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) were established to enhance primary healthcare access in underserved regions.
- The FQHC program has significantly expanded, serving over 31 million patients in 2023.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role and expansion of the FQHC program.
- To summarize evidence on FQHCs' impact on key health outcomes.
- To identify opportunities and challenges for the FQHC model.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of existing evidence on FQHCs.
- Analysis of FQHC program growth and patient reach.
- Discussion of policy, financial, and operational factors.
Main Results:
- FQHCs are vital in increasing primary care access for low-income individuals.
- The quality of care in FQHCs is comparable or superior to other healthcare settings.
- Sustaining FQHCs depends on revenue stability, specialist integration, and workforce support.
Conclusions:
- FQHCs play a critical role in safety-net healthcare delivery.
- Addressing financial and workforce challenges is essential for FQHC sustainability.
- Policy interventions are needed to support the continued growth and effectiveness of FQHCs.
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