A Framework to Measure and Improve Well-Being in Primary Care.

Pediatricians aspire to optimize overall health and development, but there are no comprehensive measures of well-being to guide pediatric primary care redesign. The objective of this article is to describe the Cincinnati Kids Thrive at 5 outcome measure, along with a set of more proximal outcome and process measures, designed to drive system improvement over several years. In this article, we describe a composite measure of "thriving" at age 66 months, using primary care data from the electronic health record. Thriving is defined as immunizations up-to-date, healthy BMI, free of dental pain, normal or corrected vision, normal or corrected hearing, and on track for communication, literacy, and social-emotional milestones. We discuss key considerations and tradeoffs in developing the measure. We then summarize insights from applying this measure to 9544 patients over 3 years. Baseline rates of thriving were 13% when including all patients and 31% when including only patients with complete data available. Interpretation of results was complicated by missing data in 50% of patients and nonindependent success rates among bundle components. There was considerable enthusiasm among other practices and sectors to learn with us and to measure system performance using time-linked trajectories. We learned to present our data in ways that balanced aspirational long-term or multidisciplinary goal-setting with more easily attainable short-term aims. On the basis of our experience with the Thrive at 5 measure, we discuss future directions and place a broader call to action for pediatricians, researchers, policy makers, and communities.

Standardizing Clinical Response to Results of Lead Screening: A Quality Improvement Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Lead exposure remains common and is associated with adverse intellectual and behavioral outcomes. Despite quality improvement used to increase screening rates, clinical response to elevated lead levels remains variable. Our aim was to increase provider adherence to published guidelines for addressing elevated lead levels. METHODS: We created a protocol for addressing elevated lead levels on the basis of published guidelines. The protocol included ordering multivitamins with iron and follow-up lead testing, educating families about identifying and reducing sources of lead exposure, and referring to a specialty environmental health clinic when indicated. We used quality improvement methods to increase provider adherence to the protocol in a large, academic primary care center among patients 9 to 27 months old. The outcome measure was the percentage of elevated lead levels for which providers adhered to all elements of the protocol. This measure was plotted on a control chart. Statistical process control was used to determine a significant change to system performance. RESULTS: Adherence to the protocol rose from 5% to 90%. Key interventions included decision support in the e-health records and weekly review of reports of lead levels. These interventions were supported by staffing adjustments and individualized feedback to create accountability. CONCLUSIONS: Simple process changes dramatically improved adherence to complex guidelines for addressing lead exposure in primary care. These changes could be used to similarly standardize clinical responses to other screens.