The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) requires all Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) and Look-A-Likes (LAL) to implement a Quality Improvement/Assurance (QA/QI) Program that addresses both clinical services and clinical management metrics and maintains the confidentiality of patient information.  The requirements of the QI/QA Program are outlined in Chapter 10 – Quality Improvement/Assurance of the HRSA Health Center Compliance Manual (Chapter 10: Quality Improvement/Assurance ).  The tool utilized by HRSA to evaluate compliance with the QI/QA requirements is the HRSA Health Center Program Site Visit Protocol (Health Center Program Site Visit Protocol).  

The initial phases of QI/QA Program development can be overwhelming.  Resources are abundant, although it is important to ensure the resources being utilized are not only reliable, but also appropriate for the FQHC environment. Below are a number of resources to assist FQHCs and LALs with development and implementation of a solid QA/QI Program:

• HRSA Clinical Quality Improvement (Clinical Quality Improvement) – This resource outlines HRSA’s Health Center Program Quality Improvement initiatives, which align with the National Quality Strategy, as outlined by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (Working for Quality | Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality).  

• ECRI (ECRI | Trusted Voice in Healthcare) – Membership with ECRI is free for health centers and provides a library of resources and tools for both QA/QI and Risk Management. 

• National Network for Oral Health Access (NNOHA) – NNOHA offers QI/QA and Program development resources and toolkits for health centers that provide dental services. 

• State Primary Care Association – Many state Primary Care Associations (PCA) provide QI/QA resources and can assist with QI/QA Program development and implementation.