East Hill: National recognition for community health care

"Quality is the foundation of everything we do in health care," said Abby Gunger, East Hill Medical Center's chief clinical officer with decades of experience in the field.

"While awards and badges are great, the real rewards are the outcomes we see with our patients."

Gunger is referencing the four Community Health Quality Recognition Badges recently bestowed upon East Hill from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, including:

Health Center Quality Leader for best clinical quality performance; East Hill was awarded bronze for ranking in the top 21%-30% among health centers nationwide.

National Quality Leader in Maternal & Child Health; East Hill met or exceeded national benchmarks for clinical quality measures, including low birth weight, early entry into prenatal care, weight assessment and counseling for nutrition and physical activity for children and adolescents, full childhood immunization by age 2, and an increase in well-child visits year over year.

Health Disparities Reducer and Access Enhancer badges, awarded to health centers increasing access to mental health, substance use disorder, dental and other services, and/or demonstrating improved clinical outcomes for one or more racial or ethnic groups.

East Hill is a Patient-Centered Medical Home, recognized through the National Committee for Quality Assurance for systemic use of patient‐centered coordinated care management processes and meeting high standards of care across the board. The Inner Wellness department achieved an added Behavioral Health Integration Distinction demonstrating the right resources, evidence-based protocols, standardized tools and quality measures are in place to support the behavioral health needs of patients.

"East Hill is a standout in the industry," said April Miles, president and CEO. A staunch champion of quality and care management, she added, "We're committed to having a full quality department to support the exceptional work of our clinical teams, and our approach is proving successful."

Gunger oversees the quality department, which tracks and analyzes patient data against standards of care and national clinical quality measures. The quality team supports the providers through data-driven assessment of patient outcomes and system flags to alert nurses and providers when interventions are needed, such as follow-up cancer screenings.

A new screening tool was recently launched to assess patient needs for housing, food, transportation and other social drivers of health. "We aren't waiting for patients to tell us they have a need," Gunger said. "Nurses and medical assistants are asking those questions and immediately responding to high-risk situations, such as domestic violence or trafficking."

Miles, having once served as an RN care manager, explained, "Most CEOs view this as extra, I view it as essential. Health care is dynamic, and patients often can't navigate it on their own. That's why we have referral specialists to ensure our patients get their necessary testing or see specialists that will enhance their care. We also have care managers to reduce the impacts of life and allow patients to focus more on their health."

The approach is getting noticed. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Adam Duckett and Behavioral Health Director Katrina Garrigan, physician assistant, recently presented on the integration of substance use disorder services into primary care at a HRSA conference, "Leveraging HRSA Resources to Address Substance Use Disorder in Rural New York's Primary Care Settings." East Hill was one of three federally qualified health centers asked to present.

"Holistic, integrated care is the goal," Garrigan proclaimed. "Patients with substance use disorder should be able to access evidence-based, compassionate care at any interaction with a health care provider and that's what we strive for at East Hill."

Stigma and stereotyping are ongoing issues that can lead to feelings of shame or isolation among people who use drugs, and may reinforce drug seeking behavior. Stereotyping by health care professionals could impact the care they receive, creating another barrier in addition to provider shortages, transportation, broadband and other issues impacting the health of rural Cayuga County residents.

She and Duckett highlighted how East Hill is reducing barriers, including stigma, through addition of a community health nurse, increased community outreach, education, partnerships, harm reduction supplies and person-first language ("he has a substance use disorder" vs. "he is an addict").

"It takes a village to achieve what is necessary for patients to have the highest quality outcomes possible," Gunger said, sharing her excitement about the future of East Hill. "We all live this mission and we're all working toward the same thing — a healthier community, one patient at a time. We're seeing the fruits of our labor beyond badges and our community is healthier because of it."

Trish Kerr is a marketing specialist and grant writer at East Hill Medical Center, a nonprofit federally qualified health center at 144 Genesee St. in Auburn that offers adult medicine, addiction, dental, reproductive health and pediatric services. It has served the Cayuga County area for more than five decades with a mission of being "an innovative local partner with an exceptional team dedicated to delivering high-quality and equitable health care services to improve the physical and emotional well-being of our community." For more information, visit easthillmedical.com or call (315) 253-8477. Kerr can also be reached at .

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