5236.0: Wednesday, November 15, 2000 - 4:30 PM

Abstract #11236

Quality improvement and community health planning: working with Medicaid and Public Health to reduce health disparities

Gretchen L. Kinder, MSW, MPH1, Lauren J. Toolin, MS1, Esta Lee Stone, BA, MS, OTRL2, and Kate Alich, MS, RD3. (1) MassHealth Access Program, Office of Community Programs, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Chang Building, 222 Maple Avenue, Shrewsbury, MA 01545, 508-856-3188, gretchen.kinder@umassmed.edu, (2) Office of Clinical Affairs, Division of Medical Assistance, 600 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111, (3) Diabetes Control Program, Department of Public Health, 250 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02110

The goals of quality improvement processes and community-based health planning are essentially the same, to improve health outcomes for a specific population. A primary difference in these two methodologies is the project scope. Quality improvement processes are generally applied in clinical settings and focus on the delivery of medical services, whereas community-based health planning uses a population approach and focuses on working with multiple partners to achieve health improvement. In spite of these differences, the technologies of quality improvement and community-based health planning are easily transferrable to one another. The MassHealth Access Program (MAP) at the Office of Community Programs at the University of Massachusetts Medical School is working with the state Medicaid agency and the state Department of Public Health on a chronic disease improvement program that combines the technologies of quality improvement and community-based health planning to improve outcomes for the provision of primary care to people with Type 2 Diabetes. This session will focus on the methods and tools being used to bring primary care practices together with community public health agencies and consumers in selected communities. Advisory groups in each community are collaboratively achieving targeted diabetes improvement goals using principles of community-based health planning that include: social marketing, health literacy, cultural competency, community resource assessment, and stakeholder analysis. The impact of this model on the primary care practices and community partners will be discussed, as will the role of Medicaid and Public Health in supporting collaborative planning.

Learning Objectives: At the close of this session, participants will be able to:

Keywords: Quality Improvement, Community Health Planning

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

The 128th Annual Meeting of APHA