Primary Care Training and Enhancement Program | HRSA 16 042

Primary Care Training and Enhancement (PCTE) Program (HRSA-16-042) FAQs

1) What is the Primary Care Training and Enhancement (PCTE) Program (HRSA-16-042)?

The PCTE Program (HRSA-16-042) is a discretionary grant opportunity from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) focused on strengthening the nation's primary care workforce by improving how future primary care clinicians, educators, and researchers are trained.

2) What is the main goal of this grant opportunity?

The core goal is to help organizations build or improve training models so primary care professionals are better prepared for modern health care delivery, including high-performing, team-based, data-driven clinical environments.

3) What is the central project requirement for FY 2016?

For FY 2016, proposed projects must focus on preparing trainees to operate in transformed health care systems, with particular attention to improving the clinical training experience itself.

4) What does HRSA mean by "transformed health care systems" in this program?

HRSA points applicants toward health system transformation concepts aligned with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) view of modernized delivery. This includes training providers to work across the full care continuum in integrated or virtually integrated delivery models, coordinate care across settings and provider types, and engage patients while tracking measurable improvements in patient experience.

5) What kinds of clinical training improvements does the program emphasize?

The program emphasizes making training more relevant to real-world care delivery and strengthening hands-on preparation for team-based practice, quality improvement, and measurable patient experience outcomes in modern clinical environments.

6) What competencies related to care coordination are expected in proposed training?

Training is expected to prepare providers to coordinate care across multiple settings and provider types and to work across the full continuum of care within integrated or virtually integrated delivery models.

7) How does patient engagement fit into the program priorities?

Projects are expected to prepare trainees to actively engage patients in their care and to track measurable improvements in patient experience.

8) Is health information technology (health IT) a required focus area?

Health IT competency is explicitly included as part of the transformation-oriented training HRSA describes. The opportunity highlights using health information technology to improve quality.

9) Does the opportunity address practicing "at the top of license"?

Yes. The opportunity includes ensuring clinicians practice at the top of their license and board certification as part of the transformation-related competencies.

10) Is population health included in the training expectations?

Yes. The opportunity highlights integrating population health measures into routine care delivery as part of the training emphasis.

11) How important is data-driven decision-making in this grant?

Data-driven practice is a core theme. The opportunity calls for using data to guide and refine clinical and operational processes and preparing trainees for data-informed, quality-focused clinical environments.

12) Are projects that connect delivery transformation to social determinants of health encouraged?

Yes. Applications that connect health care delivery transformation with efforts to address social determinants of health are explicitly encouraged, reflecting interest in approaches that combine clinical transformation with upstream, community-informed strategies to improve outcomes.

13) Who can apply as the lead applicant?

Eligible lead applicants are generally accredited public or nonprofit private institutions that can support primary care training at scale. Examples listed include accredited public or nonprofit private hospitals, schools of allopathic medicine, schools of osteopathic medicine, and academically affiliated physician assistant (PA) training programs.

14) Can other public or nonprofit organizations apply if they are not in the example list?

Yes. Other public or nonprofit private entities may be eligible if the Secretary determines they are capable of carrying out the grant.

15) Are faith-based organizations allowed to apply?

Yes. Faith-based organizations may apply as long as they otherwise meet eligibility requirements.

16) Are community-based organizations allowed to apply?

Yes. Community-based organizations may apply as long as they otherwise meet eligibility requirements.

17) Are Tribes and tribal organizations eligible to apply?

Yes. Tribes and tribal organizations may apply as long as they otherwise meet eligibility requirements.

18) Do training activities have to be delivered by an accredited entity?

Yes. All training activities supported through the grant must be delivered by an accredited entity. For new programs, provisional accreditation is acceptable.

19) What accreditation documentation is required with the application?

Applicants are required to submit accreditation documentation for the lead applicant training program as part of the application package, referenced as Attachment 7 in the announcement.

20) Can an organization that received an FY 2015 PCTE award apply as the lead in FY 2016?

No. Organizations that competed for and successfully received an FY 2015 PCTE award are not eligible to apply as the lead applicant in FY 2016.

21) Why are FY 2015 PCTE awardees restricted from being FY 2016 lead applicants?

HRSA describes this restriction as a way to avoid duplication, address organizational capacity concerns, and promote broader geographic distribution of awards.

22) Can FY 2015 PCTE awardees participate in FY 2016 applications in any way?

Yes. FY 2015 awardees may participate as collaborators on another organization's application, even though they cannot be the lead applicant.

23) What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?

The opportunity is listed under CFDA 93.884.

24) What was the closing date for this opportunity as listed?

The original closing date listed is January 28, 2016.

25) How many awards were anticipated for FY 2016?

The opportunity indicates an anticipated 37 awards.

26) What is the award ceiling for this grant?

The listing shows an award ceiling of 0, which typically indicates the ceiling was not specified in the summary record and would need to be confirmed in the full funding announcement.

27) What types of training models is HRSA trying to support through this program?

HRSA is aiming to support training models that are more hands-on, more systems-oriented, more technology-enabled, and more accountable to measurable quality and patient experience outcomes, while also encouraging incorporation of strategies that address social and environmental drivers of health alongside clinical transformation.