Changes in performance after implementation of a multifaceted electronic-health-record-based quality improvement system.

BACKGROUND: Electronic health record (EHR) systems have the potential to revolutionize quality improvement (QI) methods by enhancing quality measurement and integrating multiple proven QI strategies. OBJECTIVES: To implement and evaluate a multifaceted QI intervention using EHR tools to improve quality measurement (including capture of contraindications and patient refusals), make point-of-care reminders more accurate, and provide more valid and responsive clinician feedback (including lists of patients not receiving essential medications) for 16 chronic disease and preventive service measures. DESIGN: Time series analysis at a large internal medicine practice using a commercial EHR. SUBJECTS: All adult patients eligible for each measure (range approximately 100-7500). MEASURES: The proportion of eligible patients who satisfied each measure after removing those with exceptions from the denominator. RESULTS: During the year before the intervention, performance improved significantly for 8 measures. During the year after the intervention, performance improved significantly for 14 measures. For 9 measures, the primary outcome improved more rapidly during the intervention year than during the previous year (P < 0.001 for 8 measures, P = 0.02 for 1). Four other measures improved at rates that were not significantly different from the previous year. Improvements resulted from increases in patients receiving the service, documentation of exceptions, or a combination of both. For 5 drug-prescribing measures, more than half of physicians achieved 100% performance. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a multifaceted QI intervention using EHR tools to improve quality measurement and the accuracy and timeliness of clinician feedback improved performance and/or accelerated the rate of improvement for multiple measures simultaneously.

Educational outreach to promote screening for tuberculosis in primary care: a cluster randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis is re-emerging as an important health problem in industrialised countries. Uncertainty surrounds the effect of public-health control options. We therefore aimed to assess a programme to promote screening for tuberculosis in a UK primary health care district. METHODS: In a cluster randomised controlled trial, we randomised 50 of 52 (96%) eligible general practices in Hackney, London, UK, to receive an outreach programme that promoted screening for tuberculosis in people registering in primary care, or to continue with usual care. Screening was verbal, and proceeded to tuberculin skin testing, if appropriate. The primary outcome was the proportion of new cases of active tuberculosis identified in primary care. Analyses were done on an intention-to-treat basis. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov, number NCT00214708. FINDINGS: Between June 1, 2002, and Oct 1, 2004, 44,986 and 48,984 patients registered with intervention and control practices, respectively. In intervention practices 57% (13,478 of 23,573) of people attending a registration health check were screened for tuberculosis compared with 0.4% (84 of 23 051) in control practices. Intervention practices showed increases in the diagnosis of active tuberculosis cases in primary care compared with control practices (66/141 [47%] vs 54/157 [34%], odds ratio (OR) 1.68, 95% CI 1.05-2.68, p=0.03). Intervention practices also had increases in diagnosis of latent tuberculosis (11/59 [19%] vs 5/68 [9%], OR 3.00, 0.98-9.20, p=0.055) and BCG coverage (mean BCG rate 26.8/1000 vs 3.8/1000, intervention rate ratio 9.52, 4.0-22.7, p<0.001). INTERPRETATION: Our educational intervention for promotion of screening for tuberculosis in primary care improved identification of active and latent tuberculosis, and increased BCG coverage. Yield from screening was low, but was augmented by improved case-finding. Screening programmes in primary care should be considered as part of tuberculosis control initiatives in industrialised countries.

Implementation of EHR-based strategies to improve outpatient CAD care.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of a multifaceted quality improvement intervention during 2 time periods on 4 coronary artery disease [CAD] measures in 4 primary care practices. During the first phase, electronic reminders prompted physicians to order indicated medications or record contraindications and refusals (exceptions). In the second phase, physicians also received reports about their performance (including lists of patients not satisfying these measures), and financial incentives were announced. STUDY DESIGN: Time series analysis. METHODS: Adult CAD patients seen within the preceding 18 months were included. The primary outcome was the performance on each measure (proportion of eligible patients satisfying each measure after removing those with exceptions). Secondary outcomes were the proportion with the medication on their medication list, and the proportion with exceptions. RESULTS: Median performance at baseline was 78.8% for antiplatelet treatment, 85.1% for statin treatment, 77.0% for beta-blocker after myocardial infarction (MI), and 67.1% for angiotensinconverting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker after MI. Performance improved slightly for 3 measures during the first phase and improved more substantially for all 4 measures during the second phase. For 3 of 4 measures, however, documentation of exceptions increased but not medication prescribing. Most exceptions were judged to be appropriate by peer review. CONCLUSIONS: Physicians responded more to the combination of feedback and financial incentives than they had to electronic reminders alone. High performance was only achieved for 1 of 4 measures and recording of exceptions rather than increases in medication prescribing accounted for most of the observed improvements.