Iberia Comprehensive Community Health Center Receives Grant to Implement Telehealth Solutions
Date: 02/20/21
Funding from Louisiana Healthcare Connections helps Federally Qualified Health Center better healthcare access in Louisiana
Baton Rouge, La. (February 20,2021) – Last year, Centene, the parent company of Louisiana Healthcare Connections, and the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) formed the Medicaid Telehealth Partnership to increase access to care among Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the partnership, Louisiana Healthcare Connections today announced that it has awarded the providers below with a financial grant to help them ramp-up their capacity to provide telehealth solutions.
- Acadiana Concern for AIDS of Lafayette, La
- Capitol City Family Health of Baton Rouge, La
- CommuniHealth Services of Bastrop, La
- Crescent Care of New Orleans, La
- Odyssey House of New Orleans, La
- Southeast Community Health of Zachary, La
- Start Corporation of Houma, La
- Iberia Comprehensive of New Iberia, La
Leveraging the grant, these healthcare providers will purchase new equipment, upgrade infrastructure and provide training, to name a few. The investment will allow the providers to increase their capacity to serve the health needs of Louisiana residents, creating a safe experience during the pandemic while also improving convenience and accessibility for all persons.
While telehealth services saw increased adoption in the years before the pandemic, particularly in rural areas, moving in-person healthcare services to virtual environments quickened because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, not all healthcare providers have the resources to rapidly purchase equipment as well as provide the training and technical assistance necessary to manage telehealth platforms. Centene and the NACHC recognized the new needs and worked with these health centers to make an impact locally, especially with traditionally underserved communities.
“The past year has drawn attention to the importance of telehealth solutions, as communities struggled to conveniently access healthcare services. This has also shined a light on the struggle of people in rural areas with limited healthcare providers,” said Louisiana Healthcare Connections’ Plan President and CEO Jamie Schlottman. “By providing these telehealth grants, we’re not only helping providers respond to the ongoing pandemic; we’re investing in the health of the communities that we live in and serve.”
“As our mission is to provide comprehensive healthcare to everyone, ICCHC recognizes the field of healthcare is ever-evolving; therefore, it is important we continuously adapt our practices to better meet the needs of the patients and communities we serve, thus allowing us to continue providing them with the comprehensive care they need,” stated Regional Site Director, De’Marquis Hamilton.
“Centene has been a long-term partner of federally qualified health centers in Louisiana and we are appreciative of receiving a grant that will help the most vulnerable population that we serve,” stated Iberia Comprehensive Community Health Center CEO, Roderick Campbell. “Centene has been committed from day one to the betterment of healthcare services to the State.”
For more information about Iberia Comprehensive Community Health Center, visit www.icchc.org. For more information about Louisiana Healthcare Connections, visit http://www.louisianahealthconnect.com.
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About Louisiana Healthcare Connections
Established to deliver quality healthcare through local, regional and community-based partners, Louisiana Healthcare Connections is a Healthy Louisiana plan headquartered in Baton Rouge, La. Louisiana Healthcare Connections exists to improve the health of its members through focused, compassionate and coordinated care. Because Louisiana Healthcare Connections believes healthy is a way of life, its members benefit from programs and services designed for their personal well-being.
About Iberia Comprehensive Community Health Center
Iberia Comprehensive Community Health Center, Inc. (ICCHC) operates clinics in eight clinics in seven parishes across South Louisiana. Our services include: medical, dental, pediatric, OB/Gyn, mental health and pharmacy.
Our mission is comprehensive healthcare for everyone. Our vision is that ICCHC and its satellite sites will be the leading provider of primary healthcare services in Iberia, Vermilion, St. Martin, Beauregard, Lafayette, Sabine, Vernon and the surrounding parishes for the entire spectrum of healthcare consumers, including the poor, working poor, and the uninsured.