Improvement Teams
Transforming Health Care Through Quality Improvement.
The Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality (WCHQ) works closely with its members and stakeholders on collaborative projects to ensure better patient outcomes, improve system performance, and make care more affordable. It starts with collecting data and using that information to identify the process or system that can be improved.
With member input, WCHQ organizes its improvement work into topic-specific areas and creates an Improvement Team for each comprised of members and select stakeholders.
To learn more or to join a team, contact info@wchq.org.
The Improvement Teams
Antibiotic Stewardship: Works to address the ongoing public health concerns around antibiotic overuse that leads to antibiotic resistance. The group specifically looks at prescribing practices around sinusitis, upper respiratory infection and bronchitis and brings awareness through data and education to WCHQ clinicians.
Behavioral Health: The Behavioral Health Improvement Team discusses a variety of topics related to the integration of behavioral health into primary care and depression screening. The improvement team also collaborates on projects such as creating a depression screening and treatment toolkit and compiling a registry of Wisconsin health systems that have integrated behavioral health into their primary care practices.
Chronic Kidney Disease Advisory Group: The Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Advisory Group’s priority is to increase screening and treatment for CKD for at-risk patients with diabetes and hypertension. The goals are to improve outcomes for patients with CKD, advocating for appropriate coverage with payers, and providing education on the importance of screening and early treatment
Colorectal Cancer Screening Advisory Group: The Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Screening Advisory Group is looking at WCHQ data within member health systems to understand the disparities that exist for CRC screening in rural populations. The advisory group is in line with the National Colorectal Cancer Screening Round Table’s goal, 80% of eligible patients screened.
Disparities: The WCHQ Disparities Improvement Team brings health system members and stakeholders together to decrease disparities gaps in both health care access and health outcomes. The Disparities Improvement Team discusses best practices to address disparities related to race and ethnicity, payer, and geography.
Lung Cancer Biomarker Testing Advisory Group: This advisory group is working with member health systems to improve the frequency and quality of biomarker testing for non-small cell lung cancer to improve outcomes for patients. The advisory group is working to develop a best practice workflow while also providing education to member health systems.
Obesity Advisory Group: The WCHQ Obesity Advisory Group began work on improving treatment for people with obesity in early 2021. The group is developing educational opportunities for providers and patients and working with payers to address barriers to accessing treatment. In 2022, the group developed two quality measures and a toolkit for primary care providers.
Statewide Improvement Priorities for 2024-2025
The WCHQ 2024-25 improvement priorities are:
•DiabetesA1c Control
•Hypertension Control
•Breast Cancer Screening
•Cervical Cancer Screening
•Colorectal Cancer Screening
•Adolescent Immunization Status
•Childhood Immunization Status
•Well-Child Visits in the First 15 Months of Life
In addition, WCHQ will direct resources to increasing immunization rates as members are concerned about the dramatic decline in the administration of life-saving vaccines. Improvement work related to oral health and health disparities will also be supported.
WCHQ’s priorities represent the clinical improvement topics of highest importance to its members and will be supported by WCHQ staff, broadly promoted and regularly monitored.
To learn more or join an improvement team, contact info@wchq.org.
