Project Grant P0649843

RYAN WHITE TITLE III HIV CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING GRANTS - NEWARK COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS, INC. (NCHC) CHOOSES THE SERVICE CAPACITY CATEGORY, INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AND THE ACTIVITY TO PURCHASE DENTAL EQUIPMENT FOR EXPANDING DENTAL SERVICE CAPACITY. PURCHASES WILL INCLUDE, PANORAMIC X-RAY, DENTAL CHAIRS AND ORAL CANCER SCREENING EQUIPMENT WHICH WILL BE INSTALLED AT ONE OF THE NCHC SITES 444 WILLIAMS STREET, EAST ORANGE, NJ. THE ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT WILL GIVE NCHC THE COMPETITIVE EDGE AND ENHANCED SYSTEMS TO BETTER SERVE OUR RYAN WHITE/HIV CLIENTS. USE OF EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES WILL BE MEASURED BASED ON THE FOLLOWING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO DEVELOP ONGOING AND ROUTINE DENTAL TEAM TRAININGS: TRAINING SCHEDULES WOULD BE DEVELOPED FOR ALL DENTAL TEAM MEMBERS: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF TRAINING WOULD BE COMPLETED BY ALL DENTAL TEAM MEMBERS AND AS SUPERVISED BY THE DENTAL CLINICAL DIRECTOR; 2. TO DESIGNATE PATIENT WORK FLOWS: IN-HOUSE REFERRAL SYSTEM FOR PATIENT WORKFLOW WILL BE ESTABLISHED TO ENSURE IMAGING AND SCREENINGS ARE AVAILABLE AND SCHEDULED FOR RYAN WHITE CLIENTS. 3. TO INCORPORATE BENCHMARKS INTO QUALITY IMPROVEMENT/QUALITY ASSURANCE (QI/QA) REVIEWS: IN CONJUNCTION WITH DENTAL TEAM LEADERSHIP, BENCHMARKS WILL BE ESTABLISHED FOR PANORAMIC X-RAY AND USE FOR APPROPRIATE CLINICAL INDICATIONS. MONTHLY REVIEWS WOULD FOLLOW WITH INCORPORATION OF RESULTS INTO QUALITY IMPROVEMENT/QUALITY ASSURANCE (QI/QA) PROCESSES. IN THIS MANNER, ON SITE PANORAMIC X-RAY UTILIZATION WOULD BE MONITORED FOR CARE ACCESSIBILITY AND EFFICIENCY GOALS. LIMITATIONS IN SYSTEM INFRASTRUCTURE HAVE BEEN MANIFESTED BY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THE HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SYSTEM INCLUDING THE REDUCTION OF ACUTE CARE RESOURCES AND REDIRECTION OF SERVICES THAT AFFECT THE DELIVERY OF CARE WITHIN THE PROJECT AREA. AREA HOSPITALS HAVE DWINDLED FROM SIX TO THREE, NEGATIVELY IMPACTING THE MOST VULNERABLE AND AT-RISK POPULATIONS. THE EVOLVING HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SYSTEM IN NEW JERSEY HAS SEEN INDIVIDUAL HOSPITALS MERGE INTO HOSPITAL SYSTEM S. SEVERAL HOSPITALS HAVE AGREED TO COOPERATE AND SHARE SERVICES, AND/OR HAVE CLOSED INPATIENT AND OUTPATIENT SERVICES. IN ADDITION, THESE CLOSURES HAVE CAUSED HOSPITALS IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS TO HAVE INCREASED EMERGENCY ROOM UTILIZATION, AND PRIMARY AND DENTAL CARE PROVIDERS HAVE EXPERIENCED AN INCREASE IN VOLUME WHICH IN TURN IS CAUSING EXTENDED WAITING PERIODS FOR PATIENTS TO GET THE CARE REQUIRED. BECAUSE OF THE REAL AND THREATENED DECREASE IN SERVICES AND ACCESS TO CARE FOR THE SERVICE AREA, NCHC'S ROLE AS AN ESSENTIAL PROVIDER OF CARE IS EXPANDING. AREA HOSPITALS HAVE APPROACHED NCHC TO SEEK WAYS FOR THE PROGRAM TO PROVIDE SOME OF THE CAPACITY TO MEET THE RISING DEMAND FOR SERVICES. ACCORDINGLY, NCHC HAS DEVELOPED COALITIONS AND COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG SERVICE PROVIDERS IN THE AREAS THAT THEY SERVE AND HAS RECENTLY EXPANDED ITS PHYSICAL AND CLINICAL CAPACITY TO MEET INCREASING NEEDS.