Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Primary Care Workforce Innovations Program

Program Name: New Jersey Health Initiatives Primary Care Workforce Innovations Program

Award Date: January 20, 2013

Purpose

To explore ways to reorganize current staffing in physician's offices and clinics to improve patient service without increasing costs.

Focus Areas

• Clinical Staff Role Development: Developing roles of clinical staff to ensure functioning at highest potential
• Patient Service Improvement: Enhancing quality of care and health outcomes
• Cost Efficiency: Improving care while keeping costs low
• Workforce Challenges: Addressing shortage of doctors and nurses and preparing for increased insured patients under the Affordable Health Act

Primary Recipient

Henry J. Austin Health Center in partnership with Trenton Health Team

Organization Details

• Henry J. Austin Health Center: Trenton's only federally qualified health center
• Provided low-cost primary care to approximately 15,000 patients in 2012
• Trenton Health Team: Alliance of city's major healthcare providers and Health Department

Program Scope

Grants were also awarded to six other primary care practices in New Jersey, ranging from federally qualified centers to private or hospital-owned family practices in:

• New Brunswick
• Lambertville
• Edison

An additional $800,000 grant was awarded to Healthcare Quality Strategies, Inc., the state's federally-designated Quality Improvement Organization, to:

• Oversee grant recipients
• Conduct site visits
• Customize and monitor staff redesign plans
• Provide continued improvement oversight