BOSTON – Lone Star Family Health Center (LSFHC), a Federally Qualified Health Center in Conroe, Texas, is advancing its commitment to patient care by adopting athenaOne, athenahealth’s comprehensive suite of healthcare solutions. This transition marks a significant step for LSFHC as they aim to improve patient access, streamline operations, and strengthen their participation in value-based care models.
Karen Harwell, CEO of Lone Star Family Health Center, emphasized the patient-centric motivation behind this decision. “By working with athenahealth, we are significantly enhancing our patients’ experience through improved access and convenience,” she stated. “This partnership empowers our patients to take a more active role in managing their health and ensures they receive the high-quality care they deserve. Furthermore, it strategically positions LSFHC to thrive within evolving value-based care arrangements.” Harwell also highlighted athenahealth’s deep understanding of the specific needs of Federally Qualified Health Centers as a crucial factor in their selection process. She noted that athenaOne’s powerful features and data analysis capabilities will enable their clinical staff to make well-informed decisions based on patient data trends, shifting their focus towards proactive care delivery rather than administrative burdens.
Alt text: The logo of Lone Star Family Health Center, a non-profit healthcare provider, featuring a stylized star and text.
For over two decades, Lone Star Family Health Center has been a cornerstone of healthcare for a diverse community of over 36,000 individuals. Their comprehensive services encompass family medicine, dental care, behavioral health, women’s health, and pharmacy services, all driven by a mission to deliver compassionate and affordable care. In their ongoing effort to enhance patient services, LSFHC recognized the need for a modernized technology platform to overcome challenges in patient engagement, care coordination limitations due to fragmented health data, and increasing administrative workloads. After a comprehensive evaluation of available solutions, athenaOne stood out as the optimal choice. Its modern, adaptable, and cloud-based architecture promised to elevate both clinical and financial performance while improving the experiences for both healthcare providers and patients.
Dr. Daniel Porter, Medical Director at Lone Star Family Health Center, highlighted the critical role of technology in enhancing clinical workflows and data accessibility. “Our need for a platform that could refine our quality reporting processes and simplify care coordination was paramount,” Dr. Porter explained. “We are excited about the enhanced interoperability and improved access to essential patient data that athenaOne offers. Features like automated order sets and mobile capabilities are particularly appealing as they will reduce clinical complexities, mitigate clinician burnout, and equip our team with the precise data necessary for effective population health management and quality improvement initiatives. Ultimately, this will directly translate to an enhanced quality of care for our patients.”
Alt text: The corporate logo for athenahealth, a healthcare technology company, displaying its name in a clean, modern typeface.
athenaOne’s interoperability capabilities will provide LSFHC with a more complete view of each patient’s health journey, regardless of the electronic health record systems used by other healthcare providers in the region. This holistic perspective is essential for delivering well-coordinated and comprehensive care. Furthermore, athenaOne will streamline LSFHC’s reporting processes, enabling them to identify high-risk patients requiring proactive management of chronic conditions, benchmark and incentivize physician performance, and secure additional funding opportunities to support their community health initiatives. athenahealth’s ongoing investment in supporting Federally Qualified Health Centers, demonstrated by their successful completion of Uniform Data System+ (UDS+) synthetic testing, further solidifies their commitment to helping organizations like LSFHC meet evolving regulatory and reporting demands while delivering seamless, coordinated care.
Chris Kondrat, chief customer officer at athenahealth, emphasized the broader industry trend towards value-based care and athenahealth’s dedication to supporting healthcare providers in this transition. “The healthcare industry is undeniably moving towards value-based and outcome-focused payment models,” Kondrat stated. “Every healthcare practice, from Federally Qualified Health Centers to large ambulatory networks, deserves access to solutions that facilitate integrated and patient-centered care approaches. These organizations are striving to meet the diverse needs of their patient populations, which requires a strategic combination of partnerships, services, and cutting-edge technologies to deliver comprehensive care that leads to improved health outcomes. athenahealth is fully committed to empowering this journey by providing solutions designed to ensure our partners thrive in today’s evolving healthcare landscape. This includes strategically integrating Artificial Intelligence into the athenaOne experience to directly address the most pressing needs of our clients.”
About Lone Star Family Health Center
Established in 2002, Lone Star Family Health Center is a leading Federally Qualified Health Center, operating as a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. Their mission is twofold: to provide compassionate, affordable healthcare services to their community and to train the next generation of family medicine professionals. LSFHC offers primary care services across five strategically located clinics in Montgomery and Walker counties, including Conroe, Willis, Spring, Grangerland, and Huntsville. Committed to accessible care, they accept a wide range of insurance plans, including Medicaid, CHIP, and Medicare, alongside offering low-cost, self-pay options and a sliding fee scale for eligible patients. For comprehensive information, please visit lonestarfamily.org.
About athenahealth, Inc.
athenahealth’s mission is to simplify healthcare by tackling complexity head-on. They provide innovative technology solutions, including electronic health records, revenue cycle management, and patient engagement tools, designed to remove friction for patients and ensure efficient financial operations for healthcare providers. athenahealth partners with healthcare organizations, offering purpose-built software and deep industry expertise, to generate actionable insights that drive improved clinical and financial results. Their vision is to foster a thriving healthcare ecosystem that delivers accessible, high-quality, and sustainable care for everyone. To learn more, visit athenahealth.com.
Contacts
Jean Borgman
[email protected]
