Primary Care Cooperative Agreement

Cooperative Agreement for Primary Health Care Services

Access to primary health care is a critical issue to Indiana residents. Primary heath care services are generally the user's point of entry into the health care system. Primary health care services are responsible for the vast majority of referrals to secondary and tertiary providers. The effect of inadequate access to quality primary health care services is manifested in high infant mortality rates, excessive use of emergency rooms for non-emergency care, the degree to which care is postponed until disease progress reaches critical stages, and generally poorer health status among underserved populations.

Defining the extent of the problem and posing potential solutions are important goals of the Cooperative Agreement. The cooperative Agreement is a grant program from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the Bureau of Health Professions in order to support primary care provision to identified underserved areas and populations of the state. Responsibility for the Cooperative Agreement work plan within the Indiana State Department of Health is placed with the Primary Care Office.