Community Health Center Network of Maine (CHCNet)

Overview

Beginning August 1, 2016, The Maine Primary Care Association was awarded $1.875 million over three years by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to further strengthen the state’s Health Center Controlled Network (HCCN), known as the Community Health Center Network of Maine (CHCNet). The $625,000 per year award will support 16 participating health centers across Maine as they work to make strategic investments in information technology that will lead to new operational efficiencies and a better care experience for their patients.

Health Center Controlled Networks are designed to improve access to care, enhanced quality of care and provide cost efficiencies for health centers through the strategic adoption of health information technology. The Maine Primary Care Association has operated the CHCNet since 2005. CHCNet supports Maine’s health centers in ongoing and comprehensive practice transformation in addition to assisting with Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) and other transformative accreditations.

This funding will support, among other things, the transition to value-based care, implementation of certified electronic health record technology, enhanced data analytics to support more informed decision-making, increase staff and patient engagement and overall improvements to clinical and operational quality.

Since its founding, CHCNet has grown into a network of 16 participating community health centers with a total of 66 sites throughout Maine. All of Maine’s CHCNet members are Health Center Program Award Recipients and are collaboratively working to improve operations and provide high quality healthcare to Maine residents.

Key Stakeholders

  • Bucksport Regional Health Center
  • Community Clinical Services
  • Eastport Health Care
  • Fish River Rural Health
  • Greater Portland Health
  • Harrington Family Health Center
  • Health Access Network
  • HealthReach Community Health Centers
  • Islands Community Medical Services
  • Maine Migrant Health Program
  • Nasson Health Care
  • Penobscot Community Health Care
  • Pines Health Services
  • Regional Medical Center at Lubec
  • Sacopee Valley Health Center
  • St. Croix Regional Family Health Center