Quality Assurance Program
The purpose of the Quality Assurance (QA) program is to monitor and evaluate the quality and appropriateness of clinical care provided through DFDR, ultimately leading to problem resolution and delivery of quality health services. This is accomplished by establishing structure, process and outcome indicators, standards and criteria. Criteria are used prospectively, concurrently and/or retrospectively to monitor, evaluate, and improve known or suspected problems that influence the patient care system.
The Quality Assurance Committee meets prior to each Board Meeting and is comprised of the Medical Director, health care providers, clinical support staff, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Board members. The function of the QA Committee is to monitor and evaluate all areas of patient care including, but not limited to, the following:
- Effectiveness
- Acceptability to patient
- Accessibility/Availability
- Efficiency/Appropriateness
- Continuity of Care
- Patient Satisfaction
- Integrating information regarding planning for participation in the Health Disparities
- Collaborative in our monthly QA agenda
- Administrative Processes
Health Disparities Collaborative
The mission of the Health Disparities Collaboratives is to ensure that all people receive care that is high quality, evidence based, integrated, and patient centered. We work to ensure that health care for patients from underserved populations is equal to and as effective as the care received by the general population.
The Health Disparities Collaboratives illustrates its excellence in practice through the following:
- generating and documenting improved health outcomes for underserved populations;
- transforming clinical practice through models of care, improvement and learning;
- developing infrastructure, expertise and multi-disciplinary leadership to support and drive improved health status; and
- building strategic partnerships
DFD Russell Medical Center began our participation in the Collaboratives by focusing on diabetes care (DM). The graphs below show our progress as we developed systematic changes in the way we care for diabetics. The dotted line indicates the National Goals for diabetes care and the markers indicate where DFD is in relation to the targets. DFD exceeds the standard of care in 7 out of 8 measures.
DFD Russell Medical Center
Pathways to Excellence
The "Pathways to Excellence-Primary Care" initiative was designed to get information concerning the quality of care of primary care physician practices out to employees and reward those practices which can demonstrate high quality care. Similar approaches have been launched across the nation. The initiative, Pathways to Excellence-Primary Care is intended to measure, report and improve the quality and value of healthcare in Maine at the primary care level.
DFD has participated by reporting measures for diabetes, cardiovascular disease and depression management as well as smoking cessation counseling and body mass index measurement. We have once again in 2006 received a 3 Ribbon designation - the highest award available.
Anthem Quality Insights
Anthem has implemented a program that will recognize and compensate providers for improved health care quality, patient safety and clinical outcomes. The program requires data mining in the practice for patients with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, childhood and adolescent immunizations and well visits. DFD will receive the full 6% increase in reimbursement rate due to excellent performance in all measures.
