Rina Ramirez, MD, Contributes to New Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Report

Community health centers (CHCs) across the U.S. have a new blueprint for providing sexual and reproductive health services to adolescents, thanks to a team of experts that includes Zufall Health Chief Medical Officer and Internal Medicine Physician Rina Ramirez, MD. 

Ramirez was selected as a key contributor to “Q4T (Quality for Teens): A Quality Improvement Package for Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Care”. A quality improvement package is a set of clinical recommendations for providers and health care leaders to improve patient experiences and outcomes, minimize costs, and expand access.  

The 81-page “Q4T” package directs CHCs how to provide family planning and sexually transmitted infection (STI) care in a manner that is welcoming, trauma-informed, and honors confidentiality and that considers clinical service goals pertaining to sexual activity screenings, behavioral health counseling, STI screenings, contraceptive counseling, and same-day contraceptive access. The document compiles numerous implementation tips, academic papers, trainings, videos, and sample policies.

Rina Ramirez, MD

“After years of diligent collaboration and efforts, I am delighted that this critical resource will be made available to health centers and other health care providers across the country,” Ramirez said. “We the providers and clinical leaders of CHCs care for some of the most vulnerable adolescents – including those who are newly arrived to this country, or who have multiple chronic conditions or physical disabilities, or who are experiencing homelessness. Our publication considers the unique challenges they face, and this resource will greatly enhance our collective ability to improve outcomes in this important domain of primary care.”

Released in February 2024, “Q4T” was published by the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) in collaboration with Cicatelli Associates Inc (CAI) and with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Reproductive Health. Ramirez and 25 other health care professionals participated in a virtual panel to inform the development of the package. Ramirez was also one of just six experts who reviewed and gave feedback on multiple drafts of the publication.

Throughout her tenure at Zufall, Ramirez has also been an author or contributor to many published works and posters including “Autonomous AI at Point–of–Care Improves Eye Exam Testing Rates for Patients With Diabetes,” “New Immigrant Case Management: Responding to the Southwest Border Crisis in a New Jersey FQHC,” and others, available here. Review the complete Q4T package here.