• The QI team found that there was a "consent to HIV testing" form that was filled out at the registration desk. 

• Patients would refuse, thinking they would rather not have a blood draw. Then, once with nurse, they had to take blood for mandatory syphilis testing, so the nurse informed them that they might as well get tested for HIV as well. 

• If the patient changed their mind, the nurse would fill out a reversal of the refusal to test. 

In identifying this waste, the QI team brought the issue to the clinic managers, who then decided to remove the use of the consent to testing form all together, thus saving registration and nursing staff significant administrative time. 

 

Universal Labels for Specimen Collection

• The clinic was using two separate labels for specimen collection that were printed at registration: one for HIV testing and one for all other specimens. 
• The team identified that having two separate labels meant that, if the patient changed their mind about getting an HIV test during the nurse visit, the nurse would print extra labels from the nursing station, backlogging the computers and increasing the patient visit length. 
• The QI team identified this inefficiency and decided to test using universal labels that met requirements for both HIV testing and other specimen collection.

They tested the labels using a PDSA cycle and have now implemented and standardized this practice in the clinic. 

The National Quality Improvement Center is excited to announce an important addition to our current leadership. We'd like to welcome Holly Howard, MPH, as the new Co-Director of the NQIC as of June 1, 2016. 

Holly is currently the Chief of the Health Promotion and Healthcare Quality Improvement Section of the California Department of Public Health STD Control Branch and leads QI efforts funded by CDC to increase chlamydia screening rates within California primary care settings.  Holly and her team are partnering with Medicaid Managed Care health plans and large pediatric, family medicine, and federally-qualified health center provider groups and in areas of the state with high STD morbidity to implement QI projects that are designed to enhance and ensure the access and quality of sexual/reproductive health services for youth. 

These improvement in care are being achieved through the alignment of services with national recommendations, introduction of best practices, reduction of missed opportunities for care, improvements in system-wide coordination, and standardization of care across clinics. 

Holly also serves as the Co-Chair of the National Chlamydia Coalition's Provider Education Committee where she partners with other experts to develop chlamydia screening clinical training materials.

Holly's expertise in QI and clinical STD services will serve her well at CAPTCs NQIC, where she will be co-leading a new QI fellowship program, which will be rolled out over the coming year. (More about this soon!)

From all of us at the NQIC! 

Lindsey Clopp, MSPH, Coordinator

Ina Park, MD, MS, NQIC Co-Director

Holly Howard, MPH, NQIC Co-Director