By Mario A. Cortez

At a media conference on Tuesday morning, the association of clinics formerly known as the Council of Community Clinics (CCC) unveiled their new branding and image as Health Center Partners (HCP).
The locally based non profit association currently operates the largest primary care delivery system in the country and now seeks to continue to provide services locally through new alliances and subsidiaries.
“Instead of waiting until people go to the hospital or a clinic, [clinics] can now reach out to patients so they can come in for preventive care procedures,” stated Nicole Howard, Director of Programs and Fund Development for Health Center Partners
Through this reorganizing, Health Center Partners aims to make improvements in the community health clinics in the network. These clinics currently focus on tending to the needs of low income individuals that have recently enrolled in some type of health insurance and have lacked habits such as frequent visits to their health care provider.
Henry Tuttle, CEO of Health Center Partners, Spoke with La Prensa San Diego during the event.
“As we are about to celebrate our 40th anniversary, our members have formed a new network that will seek to advance clinical and financial standards of care across our network of providers. we have 17 member organizations which currently operate 114 practice sites to care for about 760,000 patients with 2.5 million patient encounters every year in the three southernmost counties in California. We believe that we are better together in a clinically integrated network and higher standards for that patient population,: stated Tuttle.
After unveiling the newly reformed association, Tuttle revealed two subsidiaries of Health Center Partners which will aid in meeting HCP’s goals
The first subsidiary, Integrated Health Partners (IHP), is a network that brings together health centers throughout our communities with the aim of raising quality care standards and reducing the costs involved in .
Integrated Health Partners leverages assembled data from nearly 500,000 patients to find the best solutions to the challenges that low income residents face, and to improve effective intervention in their medical care needs while tending to the shift to value based healthcare.
IHP will also help boost improvements and quality of care, through rigorous assessments of performance and service quality which is a measure taken to continue success in the future.
Integrated Health Partners will perform these duties while also acting as a single unified voice representing primary care providers in the network.
A third subsidiary organization which will be joining these efforts was announced as well.
Health Quality Partners (HPQ) will provide health outcome analyses through community action and programs to support clinics and health centers aiding the safety net population.  HQP will make use of available resources and capital to bring services and programs that would otherwise not be available to community partner organizations.
A wide range of programs such as disease management, behavioral health, oral health, women’s health and  diagnostic services and more will be made available with high standards of attention and quality at partner clinics.
With the advent of the affordable care act, many clinics in the community are moving from offering services to families to the  senior demographic, a community which is often dealing with overlapping chronic conditions or illnesses that often go untreated or without regulation due to a lack to access to care.
With a steady rise in member numbers, the launch of this networking effort feels timely.
“Higher standards of care across our system is something to look forward to. Whether you seek care in Alpine, San Ysidro, El Cajon or Vista, our members will deliver the same standard of care from site to site. Patients will see improved clinical care over time because standards will be increased and made tougher every year,” Tuttle added.
“As we forge the road ahead, we are focused on new strategic plans which will drive up support through 2020. Together we will serve as the nexus for our members and partners to transform our partners through innovation and collaboration. We will be the thought leaders and drivers of change in the marketplace,” Tuttle added.
The San Diego Family Care Clinic, where the conference was held, is slated to open in six weeks in the Linda Vista area where thousands of community residents will be served.
For more information about Quality Care Partners, its subsidiaries and healthcare services please visit : hcpsocal.com.