Preventive care processes

Teams of primary care providers, supported by information technology, address gaps in care for a defined panel of patients, leading to greater adherence to evidence-based practices and improved outcomes.

An evidence-based teamwork and communication program implemented in the labor and delivery unit of Madigan Army Medical Center led to an improved care process.

A plan-sponsored, pharmacist-led prescription and over-the-counter medicine review program at a local supermarket chain helps identify potentially harmful medication interactions, reduces falls, and enhances medication compliance among Medicare beneficiaries.

Remote diabetic retinopathy screening using the Eye Picture Archive Communication System digital ocular imaging software facilitated prompt retinopathy diagnosis in California's Central Valley, an area where many residents are poor and uninsured and diabetes is a major health concern.

The Migrant Clinicians Network Prenatal Care Program seeks to ensure continuity of care for expectant mothers who begin prenatal care in one location and move for employment purposes during their pregnancy. Bilingual, culturally competent staff link migrant patients with prenatal services and manage their medical records throughout the pregnancy.

Essentia Health Heart and Vascular Center created a heart failure program combining chronic care and disease management principles to improve outcomes and reduce costs associated with heart failure care.

MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center in Baltimore, MD, set up a program in which all employees are encouraged to use their own experiences to devise and implement successful solutions for reducing hospital-acquired, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections.

A multifaceted initiative known as the Good Catch Program dramatically increases the reporting of events that could potentially cause harm and spurs the development of action plans designed to address the common causes of potential errors.

Four Seasons Pediatrics, a three-physician group in upstate New York, improved its workflow, reduced staffing costs, and enhanced quality of care while adopting an electronic medical record.

Intensive care unit clinicians developed a standardized communication process based on a daily goals form that prompts clinicians to evaluate and document the patient's current status, design a care plan, and outline daily tasks, thereby increasing clinician understanding of daily care goals.