2007 Wisconsin Quality & Safety Forum

Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality Showcases Small Practices Project at Statewide Forum

The Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality (WCHQ) was one of 35 Wisconsin healthcare organizations to exhibit at the Wisconsin Quality and Safety Forum held recently in Waukesha. WCHQ was invited to share the results of the "Small Practice" project, which was designed to gauge the opportunities and challenges associated with performance measurement and improvement in the small physician office practice setting.

Staff members Christopher Queram and Amy Topel from WCHQ joined colleagues from across the state in exhibiting more than 40 projects. More than 250 hospital and health care professionals who work in the area of quality improvement gathered on October 22 and 23 to discuss innovative ideas and practices that will improve the safety and quality of care provided in Wisconsin hospitals.

WCHQ's work over the last five years has been focused on using measurement tools at the group level to impact the quality of care being given to patients. WCHQ's project focused on the current initiatives being conducted on a regional and national level that will help to influence the future of measurement and reporting. Since 2002, WCHQ has worked to develop measurement tools that can be used by hospitals and clinics to improve the quality of care and increase safety through public reporting.

"The cultural and organizational characteristics of small physician offices share some similarities with larger groups, yet there are some important differences as well. This project was designed to help us understand the best way to adapt WCHQ's model for quality measurement and improvement so that we can make it possible for smaller clinics to participate in our work. It is evident that all physicians, regardless of where they practice, share a common desire to use performance measurement as a means to ensure that their patients are receiving care that is safe and of high quality", said Chris Queram of WCHQ.

WHA President Steve Brenton said innovation in clinical practice and advances in information technology have propelled Wisconsin into a national leadership role in advancing the quality and safety of health care.

"Over the past several years, there have been fundamental changes in how we deliver care in our hospitals and clinics. Hospitals are being designed to accommodate patient safety as the essential priority, technological advances have been implemented that help prevent medication errors and bedside mistakes," according to Brenton. "The very culture of our hospitals embraces and rewards safe practices."

The Wisconsin Hospital Association sponsors the Wisconsin Quality and Safety Forum annually to encourage hospitals to share information and practices that enhance patient safety and the quality of care. The Forum is presented in collaboration with the Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality, Metastar, Wisconsin Health Information Organization and Wisconsin Medical Society.