Renee' S. Frazier, MHSA, FACHE, Healthy Memphis Common Table CEO

 

Project manager:

Patti Tosti, Healthy Memphis Common Table

Cristie Upshaw Travis, CEO, Memphis Business Group on Health

Aligning Forces for Quality is an initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to improve the quality of health care by bringing together multi-stakeholder leadership to advance AF4Q goals at the local level. Stakeholders include physicians, nurses, patients, consumers, purchasers, hospitals, health plans and others. Our goals include improvement of the quality of care for chronic diseases and reduction in disparities in care. Memphis is one of 15 specially chosen pilot communities in the U.S. working to engage consumers, providers and payers to improve quality through public reporting of performance on key measures of quality of care. Our AF4Q work includes educating consumers about the critical components of high-quality care so they can better manage their own health care and take charge for better health.

To improve quality of care for all people across all settings.

• We engage hospitals, physicians, insurers, consumers, employers and community leaders to lift the overall quality of health care at the local level.
• We launched the Take Charge for Better Health consumer-focused reports to help everyone understand health care quality and physician performance.
• We created a Take Charge for Better Health Card that provides specific information regarding the care you need most.
• Our new consumer friendly Web page provides information for consumers, employers, physicians, hospitals and insurers about their role in improving the health and health care in our community.
• We have produced a patient experience survey to help consumers access quality care and to assist physicians in the delivery of care.

Project Leader:

Renee Frazier, MHSA, FACHE, Healthy Memphis Common Table CEO

Board Champions:

Denise Bollheimer, Vice President, Marketing & Managed Care, UT Medical Group, Inc.

Overview

Healthy Memphis Common Table is one of 25 organizations in the country to be designated by the United States Department of Health and Human Services as a CVE, which provides access to new tools and resources for implementing a value-driven health care market at the local level. A CVE is a regional health improvement collaborative representing consumers, providers, payers and health plans working together to lead regional efforts to publicly report and educate consumers about quality and value in health care, and improve health care at the local level. As a local collaborative, we play a vital role in improving the quality and cost-effectiveness of health care as well as the overall health of the community. A primary benefit of being a CVE includes a vital link to our peers in a nationwide Learning Network sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

Goals

To improve the value and quality of health care at the local level.

How This Project Works

• We participate in national policy discussions around health care and quality improvement
• We provide information on local best practices toward improving excellent health for all.
• We ensure our community receives appropriate resources and support towards better health
• We utilize this national designation to support our efforts in achieving advancements in our communitywide care.
• We participate on various taskforces that are shaping local and national agendas for health care reform.

For more information on Chartered Value Exchanges, visit http://www.hhs.gov/valuedriven/communities/exchanges.html.

Project Leader:

Patria Johnson, Memphis Healthy Churches

Board Champions:

Jay Cohen, MD Pediatric Endocrinologist and Medical Director, The Endocrine Clinic PC Beverly Williams Cleaves, MD Endocrinologist, UTHSC & UT Medical Group, Inc.

Overview

Diabetes for Life is a five-year initiative (2009-2013) that falls under our longer-term effort to reverse the growth of diabetes and obesity in the greater Memphis region, where the number of diabetes cases are among the highest in the nation. Through Memphis Healthy Churches - a Common Table partner and coalition of 100 faith-based health ministries in Memphis-area churches - important health information aimed at increasing knowledge about and treatment of diabetes is being delivered to target communities. This HMCT project is facilitated by generous funding from The Alliance to Reduce Disparities in Diabetes at The Merck Company Foundation.

Goals

To reverse the growth of diabetes in Greater Memphis and to increase access to and support for those with diabetes.

How This Project Works

• We educate the community about the risk factors that contribute to diabetes, symptoms, prevention and treatment.
• We conduct regular community health fairs and health screenings that are helping individuals identify health problems and access the care needed.
• We engage participants through area churches or places of worship.
• We provide diabetics with checklists and other tools to promote self management.
• We support and promote weight loss activities, including diet and nutritional counseling, support groups, and exercise.

For more information, visit the Alliance for Diabetes, www.alliancefordiabetes.org.

Project Leader:

Connie Binkowitz, Community Outreach Specialist, Healthy Memphis Common Table

Board Champions:

Denise Bollheimer, Vice President, Marketing & Managed Care, UT Medical Group, Inc.

Overview

Lift Every Voice provides outreach and support to engage more socially and economically challenged neighborhoods in addressing chronic illness. Through countywide advocacy, patient and care-giver councils, council members are creating positive, life-impacting change at the local level in our community. This approach recognizes the unique needs of different neighborhoods and allows for customized solutions. Lift Every Voice is generously funded by the Assisi Foundation.

Goals

To help close the gaps in health care inequality, and to provide solutions that hinder community health neighborhood by neighborhood.

How This Project Works

• We work with community leaders to support their efforts to improve health care.
• We partner with national organizations like the National Partnership for Women & Families (NPWF) to provide tools to support our neighborhood councils and to obtain up-to-date information on health improvement opportunities for our community.
• We help you find ways to work in your neighborhood to fix concerns for better health.
• We support neighborhood health fairs and other grassroots outreach activities.
• We support your voice on communitywide health and health care issues.

For more information visit www.nationalpartnership.org.

Project Leader:

Manoj Jain, MD Medical Director for Quality Improvement, QSource, and Infectious Disease Specialist

Board Champions:

Cristie Upshaw Travis, CEO, Memphis Business Group on Health

Overview

Memphis Quality Initiative is a collaboration of Memphis-area hospitals, CEOs and administrators, physicians, nurses, and pharmacists working as partners to develop and implement citywide, non-competitive quality improvement initiatives. By working together, member hospitals strive to provide the right care to every patient, every time. MQI is generously funded by Memphis-area hospitals.

Goals

To be a catalyst, a resource and a capacity-builder in the field of health care quality improvement for Memphis.

How This Project Works

• We bring together area hospitals to implement citywide quality improvement activities such as hand washing, improving nursing home transfers, ensuring patient-centered care, and identifying additional quality improvement initiatives.
• We conduct education forums in partnership with nurses, physicians, hospital CEOs, patients and others to address how improvement has impacted the quality of care in hospitals.
• We provide ongoing opportunities for hospitals to share best practices for the quality care provided to patients.
• We encourage hospitals to adopt patient-centered care that helps to engage family members in the overall care experience.
• We reinforce the importance of patients receiving the right care, at the right time, in the right place.

For more information visit www.memphisquality.org

Project Leader:

Connie Binkowitz, Community Outreach Specialist, Healthy Memphis Common Table

Board Champions:

Arthur Sutherland, MD, Retired Cardiologist

Overview

A variety of independent and Healthy Memphis Common Table-approved community projects are being mobilized to provide common strategies in the areas of prevention, education and lifestyle change.

Goals

To reduce the prevalence of obesity and diabetes throughout our community.

How This Project Works

• We provide a communitywide collaborative effort to address obesity and diabetes.
• We provide an opportunity to ensure the entire community is working together.
• We provide tools, education and lifestyle interventions to address individual and collective change.
• We identify communitywide actions to address environmental changes to help reduce obesity and diabetes.
• We ensure that everyone interested in addressing obesity and diabetes is welcome as part of our prevention action team.