Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware’s BluePrints for the Community has awarded an initial $1 million grant to the Delaware Medical Education Foundation (DMEF), one of the Medical Society of Delaware's two charitable foundations, establishing a Primary Care Investment Initiative (PCII). “Investing in Delaware’s health workforce has long been a priority of BluePrints for the Community,” said Nick Moriello, President of Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware. “We are proud to support the Delaware Medical Education Foundation’s efforts to provide primary care providers with resources to improve sustainability, efficiency and ultimately health outcomes.”
The PCII intends to target independent primary care practices whose physicians are also active members of the Medical Society of Delaware (MSD). Through a formal process, the PCII will make financial stimulus awards available to eligible practices who propose a qualified method to prepare their practice for sustainable success in value-based care. Grant awards will be up to $25,000 per practice in the 2022 calendar year. There may be other funding opportunities available to primary care practices in 2023.
Examples of how the grant funding can be used to promote success in value-based care include:
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Staffing: Clinical support, care coordinators, social workers, drug/alcohol counselors, community health workers, or Quality, Data, Information Technology professionals.
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System Enhancement: Investment in information technology to launch telehealth, or support population health (upgrades to electronic medical records and reporting suites).
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Service Development: Investment to support co-located or integrated behavioral health, holistic and/or enabling supports.
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General: Minor Alterations to repurpose or expand office space to support better patent workflow.
According to Matthew J. Burday, DO, President of the Medical Society of Delaware, “This unprecedented grant will be a vital tool to assist us in addressing the well-documented primary care physician shortage in our state. It is also critically important to acknowledge that this grant was also made possible thanks to the support of Delaware’s Insurance Commissioner, Trinidad Navarro. Through his efforts, we have developed and established a unique partnership to try to maintain access to high quality, cost- effective primary care for Delawareans.”
For more information on details, eligibility, and how to apply, please contact Lori Ann Rhoads, MSD Director of Health System Innovation, at LoriAnn.Rhoads@medsocdel.org or at 302-224-5182. The application can also be accessed here. Applications must be submitted to DMEF no later than Friday, October 7, 2022.
In addition, there may be separate funding resources for practices (to be announced) in regards to grant writers. Funding will assist in covering costs to secure a professional grant writer for primary care practices. The grant writer will assist practices in applying for State or Federal grant dollars that may provide more financial support.
About the Delaware Medical Education Foundation, Ltd.: The Medical Society of Delaware (MSD) formed the Delaware Medical Education Foundation, Ltd. (DMEF) in 1992 to create a vehicle to provide funding for:
- Improving and expanding medical education programs, thereby providing Delaware physicians with up-to-the-minute clinical information in the ever-changing field of medical science; and
- Sponsoring programs to educate the public on healthcare-related issues.
DMEF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization.
