Photo Provided Debbie Fisher, RN, BSN, director of QA/QI and Clinical Systems at Ohio Hills Health Centers, celebrates with Stacy Goddard, Clinical Quality and Patient Engagement manager, after OHHC received an award.

BARNESVILLE — Each year the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Health Resources and Services Administration, awards Community Health Quality Recognition awards to health centers that have made notable achievements.

HRSA reviews access, quality, health equity, health information technology, social risk factors screening, and COVID-19 public health emergency response. In 2023 Ohio Hills Health Centers was recognized for Advancing Health Information Technology.

“Ohio Hills Health Centers is extremely pleased to be recognized by HRSA with this Quality Award,” said Jeff Britton, CEO, OHHC. “It reflects the dedication of our providers and of our entire staff. OHHC is committed to provide exceptional primary and preventive health, dental, and behavioral health services for area residents.”

Health centers deliver comprehensive care to people who are low-income, uninsured or face other obstacles to receiving health care. Health centers provide essential services for our nation’s most vulnerable and medically underserved populations, including those who often do not have access to care.

These quality improvement awards support health centers across the country in delivering care to over 31 million people. These awards help ensure that all patients who visit a HRSA-funded health center receive the highest quality of care. HRSA’s quality improvement awards recognize the highest performing health centers nationwide as well as those health centers that have made significant quality improvements from the previous year.

“It is exciting to see our quality efforts recognized,” said Debbie Fisher, RN, BSN, director of QA/QI and Clinical Systems, OHHC. “Our entire staff works hard to meet the health care needs of our communities and I am proud of their dedication which ensures quality health care is easily accessible for area residents.”

The Advancing Health Information Technology Quality badge was awarded to health centers who adopted an electronic health record system, offered telehealth services, exchanged clinical information online with key providers health care settings, engaged patients through IT and collected data on patient social risk factors.

OHHC has health centers in six communities — Barnesville, Caldwell, Freeport, Quaker City, St. Clairsville (school-based) and Woodsfield. For information about OHHC and the services offered, call 740-239-6447.