What is the Diabetes Quality Improvement Project?

The Association coordinates the Diabetes Quality Improvement Project for Wisconsin's Section 330-funded Health Centers with funding provided by Wisconsin's Diabetes Prevention and Control Program. Participating Health Centers take a team approach to provide diabetes care that is population- based, evidence-based, and patient-centered. Since 1998, twenty participating Health Center sites have implemented Wisconsin's Essential Diabetes Mellitus Care Guidelines, the Diabetes Electronic Management System patient registry and practice changes to improve care. Eight key indicators are benchmarked monthly. The key indicators with the goal include:

• Number of patients in registries
• 90% of patients with two or more HbA1c tests in the past year
• Average HbA1c level < 7
• 70% of patients with yearly retinal exam
• 90% of patients with yearly foot exam
• 90% of patients with influenza vaccine in past year
• 70% of patients with documentation of self-management goal
• 70% of patients with an LDL < 100

 

What is the focus for the current project year?

The current project year, focuses on the following objectives:
1. Health Centers will utilize a team approach and community resources to sustain and spread their diabetes care improvement efforts.
2. Health Center teams will demonstrate progress by completing four PDSA cycles per quarter to work towards all key indicator goals.
3. Health Center patients with diabetes will receive structured assistance with goal setting activities to promote self-management of their disease.
4. Health Center patients with diabetes will receive structured assistance with goal setting activities to promote an increase in annual dilated eye exams.
5. Health Center staff will utilize tools for proactive disease management and diabetes care management improvement strategies.

How are these objectives accomplished?

The Association provides support and technical assistance for participating Health Centers utilizing the Model for Improvement for testing change, the Chronic Care Model for change concepts and the Learning Model for shared learning among participants. Health Center team members test changes in their clinic and participate in monthly conference calls and learning sessions to hear from experts and share with each other.

What is expected of participants?

Participating Health Centers are responsible for the following action steps to assure objectives and obligations to the funding source are met:
Identify an active Diabetes Improvement team and leader who will have primary responsibility for the diabetes project.
• Participate in provided education sessions.
• Dedicate staff time to complete the action steps.
• Participate in monthly conference calls.
• Submit quarterly activity reports.
• Submit data on key diabetes indicators on the 1st of every month.
• Include goals for diabetes care in the Center's Health Care Plan.
• Actively engage in the improvement process.
• Utilize a diabetes registry.

Why is it important to my Health Center?

Participants receive the resources, tools and support to improve patient outcomes. These improvements can also lead to cost savings and improved patient and staff satisfaction. Participants have received funding for computer equipment to implement the patient registry, DCA analyzers to obtain A1C results at the time of the visit, patient education materials and professional education for staff. This project approach, modeled after the Bureau of Primary Health Care's Health Disparities Collaborative, is designed to prepare Health Centers for participation in the Collaborative.

How do I get involved or find more information?

For more information, please contact Stephanie Spilde via email at sspilde@wphca.org .

Additional Resources & Information

Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association Diabetes Quality Improvement Project Report
Wisconsin's Diabetes Prevention and Control Program
Health Disparities Collaboratives
Improving Chronic Illness Care