Study Points to Key Considerations for Implementing Primary Care Quality Improvement Efforts
This study snapshot outlines findings from AHRQ-funded research examining a regional collaboration aimed at assisting primary care practices to implement evidence-based cardiovascular care.
There is tremendous pressure on primary care practices to adopt new processes and technologies to improve quality and access to care. The Heart of Virginia Healthcare (HVH) initiative was a regional collaboration aimed to assist small-to-medium-sized primary care practices implement evidence-based cardiovascular care and build capacity for quality improvement. Recently published lessons learned from the project have important implications for future efforts to disseminate information and implement evidence-based research in primary care.
This study snapshot outlines research by AcademyHealth member Debora Goetz Goldberg, Ph.D., M.H.A., M.B.A. and colleagues at George Mason University, who conducted in-depth interviews with 22 implementation team members including physicians, academic professionals, project leaders, practice coaches, and expert consultants. Their findings highlight the importance of capability assessment prior to implementation as well as practice-level recruitment among others. Their conclusions provide researchers, policy makers, and clinicians with insights for future quality improvement efforts in primary care settings.
The full results of the study are available in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine.