State Health Department Support Spurs Development of Many Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs After Passage of Legislative Mandate

AHRQ Innovations Exchange | State Health Department Support Spurs Development of Many Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs After Passage of Legislative Mandate

Support includes recommendations on program elements based on best practices, consultations and education, hospital collaboratives to facilitate sharing of ideas across similar organizations, and creation of common metrics to track and benchmark performance. The initiative has played an important role in convincing many California hospitals to develop antimicrobial stewardship programs.

State Agency Promotes Integrated Mental Health and Addiction Treatment for Co-Occurring Disorders, Leading to Better Access and Positive Outcomes

AHRQ Innovations Exchange | State Agency Promotes Integrated Mental Health and Addiction Treatment for Co-Occurring Disorders, Leading to Better Access and Positive Outcomes

The policies include mandatory screening for both disorders using validated tools, a learning collaborative and evaluations to promote quality improvement, and financial incentives to clinics achieving various service benchmarks. The department also offers training to help providers with various issues related to these policies.

Insurer Provides Financial Incentives, Infrastructure, and Other Support to Stimulate Provider Participation in Quality Improvement Collaborations

AHRQ Innovations Exchange | Insurer Provides Financial Incentives, Infrastructure, and Other Support to Stimulate Provider Participation in Quality Improvement Collaborations

Participating providers take ownership over all activities, including data collection and analysis through a registry, regular performance reports, and periodic meetings to review data and identify and share best practices. This incentive and support structure has generated very high levels of provider participation in the collaborations, which, based on results from the four longest-running initiatives, have significantly improved quality, reduced costs, and generated a positive return on investment.

Health Care Policy Innovations

AHRQ Innovations Exchange | Health Care Policy Innovations

This issue’s featured Innovations describe an insurer’s incentive and support structure to stimulate quality improvement, a health care policy initiative implemented by the State of Connecticut, and a California state program that supports health care facilities in meeting a legislative mandate.

Exercise & Physical Activity: Your Everyday Guide from the National Institute on Aging

AHRQ Innovations Exchange | Exercise & Physical Activity: Your Everyday Guide from the National Institute on Aging
Guide includes sample exercises for endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility and a list of resources.

Advancing Pharmacy Health Literacy Practices Through Quality Improvement: Curricular Modules for Faculty

AHRQ Innovations Exchange | Advancing Pharmacy Health Literacy Practices Through Quality Improvement: Curricular Modules for Faculty

The modules consist of 17 activity guides with 4 accompanying PowerPoint presentations. Each activity guide includes a list of further resources.

Web-Based Service Helps Runaway and Homeless Adolescents Feel More Empowered About Health, Enhances Access to Quality Care

AHRQ Innovations Exchange | Web-Based Service Helps Runaway and Homeless Adolescents Feel More Empowered About Health, Enhances Access to Quality Care

Adolescents using the service report feeling more empowered and knowledgeable about their health, while program staff report multiple cases in which the service has enhanced access to and improved the quality of medical care.