$90M In Partners Grants Aim To Transform Community Health Centers

WBUR's Martha Bebinger reports:

Partners Healthcare is pledging $90 million in grants to community health centers over the next 15 years.

Community health centers will use the money to expand electronic medical records, update billing procedures and reorganize care with a emphasis on preventing illness. Partners Vice President Matt Fishman:

"Community Health Centers are transforming themselves and becoming more cost effective and outcome-oriented than they already are. We really see this grant program as a way to support that transformation."

Fishman says the grants are in keeping with Partners' recent acquisition of a low-income insurance plan that covers many community health center patients.