The Spotlight on Improvement series highlights real stories of health care quality improvement. These case studies can be used to improve health care programs and spark new collaborations.
Ellensburg Has Engaged Patients to Improve Their Health through Shared Medical Appointments
April 2014: Family Health Care, Ellensburg, Wash.Shared medical appointments are a cost-effective way to manage chronic conditions. Read how a small, independent practice in central Washington piloted a shared medical appointment program resulting in improved health outcomes and increased patient satisfaction.
Download the April 2014 Spotlight on Improvement (775 KB PDF) >>
Group Health improved patient care and reduced costs by lowering unnecessary pap-screening tests
March 2014: Group Health Cooperative, Seattle, Wash.Group Health used the Choosing Wisely campaign as a way to encourage provider and patient conversations on the necessity and safety of tests, treatments and procedures and to avoid unnecessary or potentially harmful care. They paired this with an electronic medical record trigger tool to help reduce unnecessary testing and reduce wasteful spending.
Download the March 2014 Spotlight on Improvement (718 KB PDF) >>
Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital Chronic Disease Self-Management Program
December 2013: Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital, Yakima County, Wash.In 2008, Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital began offering educational programs for community members who have chronic diseases, substantially reducing overall outpatient and emergency department in just one year.
PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center: Improving Care through Glycemic Management
November 2013: PeaceHealth Southwest Medical CenterIn 2006, PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center initiated an internal glycemic control task force to review protocol and found that blood glucose targets were not regularly met in cardiac patients. The group also found that the special needs of patients with diabetes were not commonly met before discharge and there was little continuity of care once patients transitioned from the hospital back into the community.
Providence Sacred Heart: Cardiac Level 1 Program
October 2013: Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and Children’s Hospital, Spokane, Wash.Providence Sacred Heart collaborated with network of more than 20 hospitals in eastern Washington and northern Idaho to increase survival rates for cardiac arrest. They implemented continuous improvement processes to improve response times and standardize treatment protocols.
Download the October 2013 Spotlight on Improvement (675 KB PDF) >>
King County Emergency Medical Services: Using Data to guide Improvement Efforts
September 2013: King County Emergency Medical Services, King County, Wash.By committing to data collection and continuous improvement, King County Emergency Medical Services increased cardiac survival rate to 60 percent—the highest not only in the United States, but in the world.
Download the September 2013 Spotlight on Improvement (806 KB PDF) >>
Collaborating to Improve Care Transitions in Whatcom County
July 2013: Whatcom Alliance for Health Advancement (WAHA), the Northwest Regional Council (NWRC) and PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical CenterThe Improving Care Transitions (IMPACT) program in Whatcom County is helping patients actively manage their health and reduce preventable hospital readmissions by working with them both during and after a hospital stay.
Cascade Valley Hospital Creates Connections to Benefit Stroke Care
June 2013: Cascade Valley Hospital, Snohomish County, Wash.By implementing an improved, collaborative stroke program in 2011, Cascade Valley Hospital in Arlington, Wash., has reduced the amount of time from when a patient enters the hospital with a suspected stroke to when they receive a CT scan to confirm it by 64 percent.