Health Center Controlled Network

The Louisiana Health Center Controlled Network (HCCN) is a HRSA-funded initiative focused on quality improvement in health care through the adoption of health information technology (HIT). The focus of the network is to support health centers in leveraging health information technology and data to deliver high-quality, and comprehensive primary health care, with a specific focus on improvements in:

Clinical Quality,
Patient-Centered care, and
Provider and staff well-being.

The Louisiana HCCN is administered by the Louisiana Primary Care Association. The LPCA was awarded an HRSA grant in late 2012 and started with 18 FQHCs across Louisiana, focusing on diabetes and cardiovascular disease. For the current project cycle, 2025-2029, the network has grown to a strong total of 35 participating health centers with a focus on leveraging health IT to improve data collection and management, interoperability and data sharing, UDS modernization, AI, and value-based care activities.

HCCN 2025-2029 Objectives

Objectives	Objective Description	Baseline Percentage	Target Percentage
1. Data Management & Analytics	Increase the percentage of PHCs that advance and optimize clinical, financial, and operations data to improve clinical quality, health outcomes, and operations.	54%	71%
2. Interoperability & Data Sharing	Increase the percentage of PHCs that improve bidirectional interoperability with health care providers and community-based organizations by strengthening care coordination, reducing unnecessary medical testing and data duplication, and implementing more efficient and effective referral and information sharing processes to improve health outcomes and reduce provider burden.	89%	91%
3. Data Modernization Implementation	Increase the percentage of PHCs that have implemented at least one FHIR-based application in their EHR or data systems.	34%	60%
4. Artificial Intelligence	Increase the percentage of PHCs participating in T/TA designed to support the implementation on AI practices that adhere to industry ethical guidelines and established protocols. These efforts aim to help PHCs address health disparities and improve patient care by using health IT AI solution that support data-driven care practices.	20%	34%
5. Additional Value-Based Care	Increase the percentage of PHCs that use data to update operational processes in health IT systems to support value-based care that enhances the patient and provider experience, improves health outcomes, and reduces health disparities.	9%	26%

*first 3 required by HRSA, objective 4 and 5 voted by PHCs for Network to cover

HCCN PHC Member Survey Results:

The Network Offers:

Direct one-on-one technical assistance
Two in-person learning sessions per year
Topical technical assistance webinars
Peer-to-peer learning and exchange
Technical assistance for patient portals
Remote patient monitoring opportunities
Security audit assessments with breach mitigation and response planning
Telehealth service advancements

Examples of Technical Assistance Include:

EHR reporting and documentation to facilitate electronic UDS Reporting and user group webinars
EHR optimization to assure data is captured in structured fields
In-depth analysis of the annual HRSA Quality Improvement Awards - complete with individual health center reports
HIPPA and Risk Management Technical Assistance
HIT security webinar series
Data connectivity to other population-based programs/entities
PRAPARE webinars for implementation at health centers
Quality improvement and management best practices and tools

Successes Reported by HCCN Members:

LA HCCN (49.4%) surpasses the national average (42.8%) for childhood immunizations
LA HCCN membership more than doubled over the past 6 years
In house data analytics expertise to assist with data analysis to help with grant opportunities
(2) Certified NCQA experts in-house
Successful implementation of the Azara DRVS tool in over 20 participating health centers
Supporting financially (and with in-house expertise) the implementation of several add-on DRVS modules, including: Referral Module, FOT/FIT Module, Controlled Substance Module