Skip to main content

Table 2 Practice facilitation strategies chosen by the initial intervention group (nā€‰=ā€‰19)

From: A randomized trial of practice facilitation to improve the delivery of chronic illness care in primary care: initial and sustained effects

CCM element addressed

Number of practices

Description of a common intervention activity

Self management support

16

Provided patients with logbooks to track their HbA1c, BP and Lipid levels; patient education binders in exam rooms; diabetes education videos; ā€˜Ask me about Diabetes ABCsā€™ buttons worn by staff; diabetes posters in exam rooms.

Delivery system design

8

Group visits; re-organized clinic staff and delegated authority for testing/immunizations, etc.; began point-of-care HbA1c testing;

Clinical information systems

5

Improved EMR functionality to provide individual and population level reports; diabetes flow sheets and/or templates in charts;

Community linkages

2

Developed linkages for referral to nutritionist or for eye exams.

Prepared proactive teams

Initiated or increased staff meetings

8

Many practices had never met to discuss clinical improvement activities or at least met infrequently. Practice facilitators modeled effective meeting techniques and taught practices how to hold productive, effective team meetings.

Initiated Huddles

9

Huddles are quick 3ā€“5 minute meetings of practice staff during the day for the purpose of planning for changes in workflow, anticipating and solving problems, and making adjustments to insure everyone is ā€˜on the same pageā€™.