In February 2023, Project Access was launched to help Nebraska’s community health centers address critical challenges in providing access to care across urban, rural, and frontier areas. The initiative focuses on increasing patient access by addressing provider shortages, improving clinic operations, expanding capacity, and enhancing the workforce pipeline. By strengthening healthcare services and infrastructure, Project Access aims to ensure more Nebraskans receive the care they need.
Project Access consists of the following four main components:
- Recruitment and Retention: Support health centers with competitive compensation through sign-on bonuses, loan forgiveness, education, licensure, relocation aid, and innovative retention strategies.
- Clinical Optimization: Fund initiatives to enhance patient access, like hiring consultants, upgrading technology, or improving scheduling to reduce no-shows and increase same-day/next-day appointments.
- Capital Improvements: Expand access by adding physical capacity, growing telehealth, developing mobile programs, and advancing new projects to serve additional Nebraskans.
- Workforce Pipeline Development: Collaborate with key stakeholders to address workforce shortages, attract talent to health centers, and expand Nebraska’s health science graduate pool, focusing on health center-affiliated programs.
Project Access Impact
67 new staff have been hired at all Nebraska health centers.
722 retention bonuses were given to health center staff to retain talent.
Health centers were able to match loan repayments for 22 staff members.
Through Project Access funds, newly hired providers led to an increase in patients served.
Since 2023, Nebraska community health centers have achieved significant milestones, including offering sign-on bonuses and loan repayment for medical providers and dentists, acquiring a mobile unit to extend their services and funding staff retention bonuses. Project Access funding allows health centers to offer competitive recruitment packages to attract new talent, which overall has had a significant impact on our workforce.
Our Partners
Funding for Project Access is made possible through the generous support of the Centene Foundation, Nebraska Total Care, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Nebraska, and the Creighton Community Collaborative. Their continued financial contributions reflect a shared commitment to improving healthcare access for all Nebraskans.
Centene Foundation Partnerships: For more information on Centene, Project Access, and additional partnerships.
