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Category: Quality improvement

Improving health care

A Message with a Beat on Health Care Quality

A Message with a Beat on Health Care Quality

During the NCQA Health Care Quality Congress last year, I listened to conversations, presentations, questions, and the ideas expressed by attendees and faculty. It was a vibrant conference with many perspectives shared through panels, town hall-like forums, and informal gatherings. I was incredibly impressed by the energy in the rooms, hallways, and receptions. As the last speaker of the conference, I was anxious about what I could offer beyond that which had already been experienced. Therefore, I decided to offer a…

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What Can We Learn from a College Essay about Bees?

What Can We Learn from a College Essay about Bees?

I was in the audience listening to the guest speaker, Dr. John Fleming of ONC, at the NCQA/HL7 Digital Quality Summit on November 1 waiting for my cue to get on stage to kick-off the working part of the meeting. In the audience were policy wonks, health IT experts, measure developers and other interested parties. I was unusually anxious because I had not prepared any opening remarks and only had a scant outline of “must say” announcements from my staff. I…

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Measures for Doc MOC

Measures for Doc MOC

When you hear hoofbeats, think of horses not zebras. -Dr. Theodore Woodward, University of Maryland (1940s) [“MOC” refers to Maintenance of Certification. If you are among those readers not familiar with the term, I suggest that you skip to the Background section before reading further.] The Issues While most physicians would agree that each specialist should possess and maintain a core of knowledge, opinions differ as to how to assess the ability of a physician to apply her/his knowledge, skills, and ability in practice. Among…

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What Can Medical Practices Learn from the Apple Store?

What Can Medical Practices Learn from the Apple Store?

After two years of prodding my spouse to let me buy her a new computer, the old PC left her with no choice – it decided not to wake up. A couple of days later, though, I was able to jumpstart it and we rescued her important files (don’t get me started about how many times I suggested routine backups). Clearly, it was time for a new computer. Off to the Apple Store. We walked out with a new MacBook…

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What Works? Improving HPV Vaccination Coverage

What Works? Improving HPV Vaccination Coverage

This important public health message needs to get out from @CDC and @NCQA on @PubHealthPost: Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all 11- and 12-year-old adolescents receive two doses of the HPV vaccine over a 6-12-month period. From the article: “Normalize” HPV Vaccination Educate patients and providers Provider reminders to patients Provide feedback to providers Increase access to registry data Source: What Works? Improving HPV Vaccination Coverage | Public Health Post

400 Pounds and 3 Inches

400 Pounds and 3 Inches

While working out this morning, I watched with interest as a man looking about 70 years old started adding massive weights to an Olympic bar. He didn’t look like someone who could move 100 pounds let alone 400. I scanned the room for the nearest defibrillator and kept an eye on him hoping I would not have to perform CPR. The man stretched his legs, moved his arms, touched his toes and took a few deep breaths. And then he walked…

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