Posted by Jane Kirsty Pardo
Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) have been instrumental in improving the lives of the nation’s medically underserved, low-income populations. With the growth of these facilities in recent years, the federal government has also raised its funding requirements.
With the rising need for FQHCs, juggling your focus between providing value-based care and maintaining compliance remains a challenge. From staff responsibilities to the security of patient health records, providers must now keep up with laws and regulations. Strictly adhering to guidelines helps maintain your FQHC status and the benefits that come with it (such as grant money). Let’s look at the five FQHC regulations you need to know to maintain compliance this year:
- Your community health center must have a separate agreement with Medicare for service reimbursement.
- Your community health center must follow the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a law that prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
- Your community health center must be held to strict mission-based standards that show evidence meant to prove they are serving the needs of the target population.
- Your community health center must clearly define the target population served and the services delivered. There should be no overlapping target and services. Use this mapping tool to check your status: https://www.udsmapper.org
- Your community health center must be governed by an elected board of directors with predefined rules for financial management, billing, and the composition of the board itself.
Remain FQHC Compliant With The Right Tools
The budget is tight on most FQHCs, so it’s important to invest in a compliance auditing tool that has the most value for your money. One of the best ways to efficiently maintain your compliance with your workflow (and save money in the process) is to use an EHR or practice management solution with integrated, FQHC-specific features. With a 20-year track record, our experts at Meditab take this up a notch by providing exceptional compliance support with IMS FQHC, our software solution tailored to the needs of community health centers. -1.png)
Many patients need community health centers that provide quality care without the high cost. With the right technology that supports FQHCs, you can focus more on quality care, stay compliant, and even receive more incentives.
