Patient-Centered Medical Home

Wood River Health is designated as a Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). A Patient-Centered Medical Home is a model of care that puts patients at the forefront of care. PCMHs build better relationships between patients and their clinical care teams. Research shows PCMHs improve quality and the patient experience, and increase staff satisfaction—while reducing health care costs. Practices that earn recognition have made a commitment to continuous quality improvement and a patient-centered approach to care. To learn more about what it means to be a PCMH, watch this video.

Federally Qualified Health Center

Wood River Health is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). This means we are a health care provider that provides primary care services to underserved communities of people. Our two locations in Hope Valley and Westerly serve the communities of Charlestown, Richmond, Hopkinton, Westerly, Exeter and West Greenwich, and southeastern Connecticut. 

FQHC's receive funds from the HRSA Health Center Program to provide primary care services in underserved areas. As an FQHC, Wood River Health must adhere to a stringent set of requirements including providing care on a sliding fee scale based on the ability to pay and operating under a governing board that includes at least 51% patient-members.

Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) Deemed Status Badge
Wood River Health is the recipient of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) Deemed Status Badge. This badge is available to health centers that are currently FTCA deemed/received deeming by HRSA under the Federally Supported Health Centers Assistance Act (FSHCAA). 

The Federally Supported Health Centers Assistance Acts of 1992 and 1995 (FSHCAA) provides that certain persons, referred to as covered individuals (i.e., governing board members, officers, employees, and certain individual contractors) of FTCA covered entities (e.g., health centers that receive section 330 funds and have been approved for coverage or “deemed” as employees of the Public Health Service (PHS) by the Secretary) be treated as PHS employees for purposes of medical malpractice liability coverage. 

Health Center Gold Quality Leader is awarded to only 10% of community health care centers in the United States. NQL badges are awarded to health center awardees and look-alikes that meet or exceed national benchmarks for one or more of the clinical quality measure (CQMs) groups that promote behavioral health, heart health, diabetes health, HIV prevention and care, and maternal and child health. Badges are based on Uniform Data System (UDS), an annual reporting system that provides standardized information about the performance and operation of health centers delivering health care services to underserved communities and vulnerable populations. 

The HCQL Gold badge recognizes the top 10% of health centers based on quality measures submitted to the UDS in the last reporting period. Recipients have been designated as a model for excellence in the health care delivery and a leader in the promotion of community well-being. Only 143 health centers in the country received this recognition in 2025.

Improving Health Care Access recognizes health centers that have increased the total number of patients and the number of patients receiving comprehensive services – including mental health, substance use disorder, dental, and other services – by at least 5% between calendar year 2024 and 2025, the two most recent UDS reporting periods.

Advancing Health Information Technology (HIT) for Quality recognizes health centers that use technology to improve health care and make it easier for patients to access care. This includes increasing access to telehealth, helping patients stay involved in their care, sharing information between health systems, and collecting data to better meet patients’ health needs.

National Quality Leader: Diabetes Health recognizes health centers that meet or exceed two of the three measure targets related to Diabetes. The measurements include adult Body Mass Index (BMI) screening and follow-up plan; weight assessment and counseling for nutrition and physical activity for children and adolescents; and Diabetes: Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) Poor Control (>9.0%) - Inverse Measure (uncontrolled diabetes).

Target: BP

We were recognized by the American Heart Association and American Medical Association for our commitment to improving blood pressure (BP) control rates, earning gold-level recognition as part of the Target: BP™ Initiative. The Gold award recognizes practices in which high blood pressure is controlled in 70% or more of the adult patients affected. 

Target: BP is a national collaboration between the American Heart Association and American Medical Association aimed at reducing the number of adults in the U.S. who suffer from heart attacks and strokes each year by urging physician practices, health systems and patients to prioritize BP control. The initiative aims to help health care organizations improve blood pressure control rates using evidence-based protocols and recognizes Wood River Health’s commitment to improving hypertension control.

Check. Change. Control. Cholesterol™

By earning Gold, Wood River Health demonstrated at least a 70% appropriate statin therapy use throughout our at-risk patient population. Our providers were commended on their ongoing commitment to lowering cholesterol and improving care management within our patient population. 

We share the American Heart Association’s dedication to longer, healthier lives for everyone. By participating in Check. Change. Control. Cholesterol™, we are improving the identification and management of high cholesterol across the nation and are proud to be recognized for our efforts. That’s why we’re proud that the AHA recognizes Wood River Health's commitment to cholesterol management for all our patients.

Target: Type 2 Diabetes

Gold-level recognition recognizes health centers' commitment to addressing the relationship between diabetes and the risk of heart disease and stroke. Wood River Health's data demonstrated impressive HbA1c control in patients with diabetes and ≥70% adherence to one of the cardiovascular-focused clinical measures. We were commended for our ongoing commitment to improving quality of care through awareness, detection and management of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors.