Tuesday, November 15, 2016
In Practice 
Tips, Tools & Education for Improving Outpatient Care
HQI a Partner in Virginia to Promote Responsible and Appropriate Antibiotic Use

Health Quality Innovators Program Director Sheila McLean talks to the media Monday during the kick-off event for a campaign to promote antibiotic stewardship in Virginia. Click here to view the news story by the Richmond, VA television station WRIC.

P hysician practices and other non-acute providers now have access to greater information and support for changing the way they prescribe. This includes a recently announced antibiotic stewardship collaborative in Virginia that covers every setting of care through the active participation of HQI, the Virginia Department of Health, Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association, and Medical Society of Virginia.

More than 130 practices, urgent care centers, dialysis clinics, emergency departments and others in Virginia and Maryland currently are working with HQI to identify rates of inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions, implement or modify policies and processes, educate patients and offer them alternatives, and measure to determine the impact of their efforts. "So often the public doesn't really understand the use of antibiotics. We have often heard that antibiotics are a good thing; and it is, when appropriately used. But often times they have been overused," said Health Quality Innovators Program Director, Sheila McLean.

The CDC's new framework for antibiotic stewardship in outpatient care, released November 10, provides a roadmap for all ambulatory care professionals to take up the effort to combat antibiotic resistance. Join in!
DSME Lay Leader Training Graduation
 
Congratulations to recent graduates of the Diabetes Self-Management Program Lay Leader Training, held in Norfolk, VA. Deborah Brown, an active member of Health Quality Innovators' (HQI) Patient & Family Advisory Council was among the participants of this program, led by Adewale Tychus and Venisha Lambert, HQI Improvement Consultants. Contact HQI to learn more about diabetes classes and opportunities to be trained as lay leaders.
Recognition
Medical Society of Virginia Foundation Honors Physicians with Salute to Service Awards

The Medical Society of Virginia Foundation (MSVF) recently honored five exceptional individuals with its 12th annual Salute to Service Awards. Recipients include Robin L. Foster, M.D., Thomas M. Kerkering, M.D., FACP, Robert Gunther, M.D., M.P.H., Gene Peterson, M.D., M.H.A. and Jessica Churchill. Click here to read more about the awards and this year's honorees.  

Free HQI Webinar
Leverage Your EHR to Implement Blood Pressure Control and Treatment
Thursday, November 17 from noon to 1 PM

Join healthcare colleagues in Maryland and Virginia as Holly Dahlman, MD, FACP, a physician at Green Spring Internal Medicine in Maryland, describes an innovative approach to improving hypertension control. She will discuss how the practice uses its electronic health record system to implement effective blood pressure treatment protocols. 

November is National Diabetes Month
National Institutes of Health Promotes Community Connections
The National Institutes of Health has released a statement from Dr. Griffin P. Rodgers, Director, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases about connecting with your community for better health.
Resources Available for Health Care Professionals

November is National Diabetes Month. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases is offering resources for health care professionals on a wide range of topics. Some of these topics include: Promoting Medication Adherence in Diabetes, Guiding Principles for the Care of People with or at Risk for Diabetes, Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support in Type 2 Diabetes and more. Learn how these resources aim to promote quality care for individuals with or at risk for diabetes.
Provider Resources
Four Best Practices for Improving Patient-Provider Communication

Building meaningful patient-provider relationships is the foundation of patient engagement and quality care. In an industry that is grounded in technology, creating solid lines of communication can be difficult. Providers that incorporate their patients into the coordination of their care make patients feel empowered. Following these best practices can help to improve patient-provider communication, boosting patient satisfaction, as well as clinical outcomes.
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This material was prepared by Health Quality Innovators (HQI), the Medicare Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organization for Maryland and Virginia, under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The contents presented do not necessarily reflect CMS policy.