PC01: Coaching Safety-Net Care Teams on Research, QI, and Transformation Projects
Ann Romer, MS; Oyinkansola Ogunrinde, MHA; Molly Volk, MHS, PCMH CCE
Abstract
Background: OCHIN is a national non-profit health IT organization supporting 500+ community health care (CHC) sites, reaching nearly 6 million patients across 47 states. The OCHIN model system is a comprehensive system of IT tools that incorporates EHR best practices to advance equity & better health in every community served. OCHIN Practice Coaches partner with technical & clinical experts to help care teams operationalize new knowledge, improve the delivery & experience of care, & spread learnings across OCHIN. Setting: Coaches principally engage with care teams in research, quality improvement, and transformation projects scoped for specific timelines, number of participants, & clinical content area (e.g. social determinants of health, adverse childhood events, latent tuberculosis, chronic disease management). Coaches innovate practice facilitation along modality, location, & scale, and support clinic champions who help carry the lift for planning & implementing changes to care team practice. Method: Coaches engage CHC champions and care team members in co/facilitated, peer-to-peer cohort webinars, team meetings, and 1:1 conversations, meeting bi/weekly or monthly for 30-60 minutes to identify problems/needs; set goals; plan & make operational decisions; gather end-user feedback & enhance EMR tool use; and document learnings. Coaches collaborate with each other and cross-functional teams of medical informaticists, developers, analysts, trainers, and program managers to guide CHC intervention, utilizing MS Teams/SharePoint/OneNote, Zoom, Smartsheet, & Asana to document and communicate through the values of working-out-loud, trust, integrity, collaboration, flexibility, patience, and empathy. Results: Coaches curate and disseminate clinical care pathway content; educate on champion development and change management; facilitate use of improvement tools & design/ optimization of workflows; support accountability to action planning & testing change; and support adoption/increase of evidence-based interventions (e.g. screenings, medication intensification). Conclusion: The innovative deployment of practice facilitation is tailored to meet & build the capacity & capabilities of each health center, demonstrating that virtual practice facilitation can function as an effective, productive, & practical engagement model that works in complement to in-person facilitation or as a stand-alone approach.
Gillian Bartlett (NACRG President)
gillian.bartlett@health.missouri.edu 8/5/2021Great work - I am impressed with how many communication platforms you used.