An agency of the U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services, HRSA (the Health Resources and Services Administration) serves Americans who have trouble reaching healthcare because of poverty, geographic isolation, or medical challenges. Many of their clients are pregnant women, mothers, or people facing disabling diseases. HRSA also supports the training of health care providers and improvements in health care delivery in rural and underserved areas.
The HRSA mission is to address health disparities by improving access to high-value programs. It collects data about healthcare accidents, medical malpractice, and waste. It coordinates programs to improve the use of vaccines, transplants, and tissue donations. Its 2021 in-house budget is $1.2 billion, and it employs over 2,200 people. In the last fiscal year reported, 2019, HRSA administered almost $10 billion in grants and cooperative agreements. 1,389 Health Centers received over $5 billion in funding.
The HRSA Health Center Program serves 1 in 11 people in the United States. Established in 1966, it funds nearly
- 1,400 health centers that support
- 33% of the people living in poverty,
- 20% of the rural population,
- almost 400,00 veterans, as well as
- over a million agricultural workers.
Its recent achievements include
- 68% of their diabetic patients controlled their blood sugar levels, compared to the 59% national average
- 65% of their hypertension patients controlled their blood pressure, compared to the 59% national average
- 24% lower healthcare spending per patient, especially due to less emergency room usage and hospitalization.
The Health Center Program unites patients, healthcare workers, and many government and nonprofit agencies to overcome unusual and persistent healthcare challenges.
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