Jackson Health System is in ''preliminary discussions'' to transfer or sell its six primary care clinics to some other entity.

Thresia Gambon, interim associate chief medical officer, said that no details have been worked out about what entity might take over the clinics, but the primary motivation was to ``continue to provide quality care.''

''This is very preliminary,'' said Gambon. She said discussions have involved the safety-net groups in the Miami-Dade Health Action Network, a coalition comprising the Miami-Dade Department of Health, the federally qualified health centers in the county and the nonprofit Health Choice Network, which runs information technology and electronic medical records for the clinics.

Lillian Rivera, director of the Miami-Dade Health Department, said the safety-net groups are ``looking for better ways to deliver quality care. We have 600,000 uninsured persons in the county who need care. We're trying to do our best with the little money we have. We're studying the details right now.''

The Jackson clinics are supported by a half-penny sales tax in the county. The federally qualified health centers are subsidized by federal money.

It was not clear Thursday what a transfer of ownership would do for the clinics' relationship with the University of Miami Medical School. Primary-care residents currently get their training at the Jefferson Reaves Sr. Health Center in Overtown.

Gambon said the university was part of the ongoing conversation about the future of the clinics.

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