Association of Implementation and Social Network Factors With Patient Safety Culture in Medical Homes: A Coincidence Analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) may provide a key model for ambulatory patient safety. Our objective was to explore which PCMH and patient safety implementation and social network factors may be necessary or sufficient for higher patient safety culture. METHODS: This was a cross-case analysis study in 25 diverse U.S. PCMHs. Data sources included interviews of a clinician and an administrator in each PCMH, surveys of clinicians and staff, and existing data on the PCMHs' characteristics. We used coincidence analysis, a novel method based on set theory and Boolean logic, to evaluate relationships between factors and the implementation outcome of patient safety culture. RESULTS: The coincidence analysis identified 5 equally parsimonious solutions (4 factors), accounting for all practices with higher safety culture. Three solutions contained the same core minimally sufficient condition: the implementation factor leadership priority for patient safety and the social network factor reciprocity in advice-seeking network ties (advice-seeking relationships). This minimally sufficient condition had the highest coverage (5/7 practices scoring higher on the outcome) and best performance across solutions; all included leadership priority for patient safety. Other key factors included self-efficacy and job satisfaction and quality improvement climate. The most common factor whose absence was associated with the outcome was a well-functioning process for behavioral health. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that PCMH safety culture is higher when clinicians and staff perceive that leadership prioritizes patient safety and when high reciprocity among staff exists. Interventions to improve patient safety should consider measuring and addressing these key factors.

Harnessing electronic clinical data to report adult and prenatal immunization quality measures.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the use of health plan quality measures specified for electronic clinical data to monitor immunizations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed 2018 data submitted by health plans reporting 2 new Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set measures assessing receipt of clinically recommended vaccines among pregnant women and adults. We analyzed the number of plans reporting a valid performance rate and electronic data source used. We consulted expert panels and reviewed coverage rates from other sources to understand the results. RESULTS: We received 136 data submissions across commercial, Medicaid and Medicare plans and 87 submissions across commercial and Medicaid plans for the adult and prenatal immunization measures, respectively. These submissions represent approximately 15% of possible submissions. Plans used claims, registries and electronic health records. Mean performance rates for adult immunizations were 21.2 (commercial), 14.0 (Medicaid) and 19.5% (Medicare). Mean rates for prenatal immunizations were 33.1 (commercial) and 16.7% (Medicaid). DISCUSSION: Results from the first year of reporting 2 electronic clinical data measures suggest health plans can feasibly report these measures and are seeking electronic data to supplement claims. Comparison of rates to other national results showed lower than expected rates for the adult immunization measure. However, prenatal immunization rates were on par with those from a national survey, suggesting this measure is closer to use for quality improvement. CONCLUSION: Quality measure reporting that encourages connection to electronic data sources is a step forward in performance monitoring and improvement. The use of electronic sources may advance health information exchange for patient care.