Aligning Forces 4 QualityIn every community, there are inconsistencies in the kind of health care that people receive. Too many mistakes and too much miscommunication in the health system can negatively affect people's lives. Most doctors are pressed for time these days and patients feel like they don't have time to really talk and ask their doctors questions. Rushed doctor visits can leave people with lingering concerns about their treatments or medications, or not having fully explained their symptoms. Research shows that people who play an active role in their health care have better outcomes and safer, more effective care, than people who do not play an active role in their health care. This is why Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) started the Aligning Forces 4 Quality (AF4Q) initiative. Aligning Forces for Quality seeks to lift the quality of health and health care by teaming up with those who get care, give care and pay for care. RWJF is piloting the AF4Q initiative in 14 communities across the U.S. Western New York was chosen as one of those communities (http://rwjf.org/qualityequality/af4q/communities/). The leader organization for the initiative in Western New York is the P2 Collaborative of WNY (http://www.p2wny.org) The P2 Collaborative is a not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to improving health care for all in Western New York. Lake Plains Community Care Network is collaborating with the P2 Collaborative on the AF4Q initiative, bringing resources and tools for consumers and providers to Genesee, Orleans, and Wyoming Counties in order to improve the quality of health care locally. Linda Franke, Practice Enhancement Associate, or PEA, works in 9 primary care offices throughout Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming Counties. Linda will be working with physicians and their staff to help them meet NCQA Patient Centered Medical Home Standards, Meaningful Use Standards and BEACON initiatives. All of this hard work helps practioners to provide the best medical care for their patients and the best practices and work flow for their offices. Melanie Rhodes, PEA, works in an additional 2 primary care sites and a pediatric site. Christi Hayden, Consumer Engagement Associate, or CEA, has been hired by Lake Plains to work with consumer advocates (health and human service agencies, faith-based organizations) throughout Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming Counties. Christi is going to be distributing Diabetes Resource Guides as well as articles on patient empowerment/self-management to these organizations for their use with their consumers. She has recently organized training for advocates to be trained to present the My Health Counts: Patients and Health Care Teams, Building Successful Partnerships program. In addition, the Living Healthy Program is also available to consumers (http://www.lakeplains.org) and in the future there will be leader trainings for advocates to lead the Living Healthy Program. The use of Personal Health Records or PHR�s has been proven to reduce errors in health care and increase the accuracy of information that is shared between providers. Both Linda and Christi will be encouraging the use of PHR's with providers and consumers. They hope to get as many providers and consumers involved in the AF4Q initiative as possible in order to improve the overall quality of health care in our community. For More Info Call: |
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Aligning Forces 4 Quality |