BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Community Technology Cooperative (CTC), the organization formed to help Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) improve health and equity for under-resourced communities through technology, today announces that ten FQHCs throughout Massachusetts have officially transitioned to Epic, the most widely-used and comprehensive electronic health records (EHR) system, after a yearlong implementation phase. The conversion to Epic for the FQHCs across the Commonwealth ensures a best-in-class system for their historically under-resourced patient populations, comprised of low-income communities and communities of color. CTC is a subsidiary of Community Care Cooperative (C3), the non-profit organization created and governed by FQHCs to transform the health and wellness of under-resourced communities.
“The populations we serve were hit the hardest by the effects of COVID, so as we recover from the pandemic, we want to ensure we continue to provide our patients with the highest quality of care,” said Ellen LaPointe, President and CEO of Fenway Health, one of the newly converted health centers, and Board Chair of CTC. “Epic is the system that will allow us to do that.”
"By bringing patients, providers, and community partners together in an integrated system, these ten health centers are advancing important work to improve health equity across the Commonwealth," said Judy Faulkner, founder and CEO of Epic.
While CTC and the associated health centers will support ongoing annual operating costs of Epic’s EHR system, part of implementation costs were funded through a one-time $5M payment from Massachusetts’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, as well as a grant through the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) to make EHR improvements at community health centers. “Making investments in health centers means making investments in community health,” said Representative Michael Moran (D-Boston). “We are excited to see the opportunities that Epic and its integrated system will bring to our communities of the Commonwealth.”
“Ensuring that the people and communities most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic benefit from American Rescue Plan dollars was paramount for the Legislature throughout the appropriations process,” said Senator Julian Cyr (D-Truro). “Community health centers have stood out as champions in their response to the public health emergency and reached those most in need. I’m happy to see these funds invested in upgrades and enhancements that will allow community health centers to continue their impactful care and service.”
The converted health centers, with the assistance of CTC, will now enter post go-live phase and ensure proper usage and optimization of Epic. The new system will support their collection of over 1.5 million clinical visits per year including vital behavioral health, dental and eye care, and essential social services linking patients and community members to health insurance, housing, food, and other supports. Two additional MA FQHCs will go live with CTC’s instance of Epic in 2023. To see the full list of health centers participating in this project, click here.
Community Care Cooperative (C3) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization created and governed by Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to transform the health and wellness of the people they serve. Formed in 2016 as a MassHealth Accountable Care Organization (ACO) that leverages the proven best practices of ACOs throughout the country, C3 is the only ACO in Massachusetts founded and governed by Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) and exclusively focused on advancing integrated and coordinated community-based care. Since its inception, C3 has expanded its services and grown nationally as leader and advocate for community health centers. Community Technology Cooperative (CTC) is a subsidiary of C3 formed to help improve health and equity for under-resourced communities through technology. Comprised of FQHCs throughout Massachusetts, CTC is focused on transitioning our existing Electronic Health Records (EHR) systems to Epic.
