Current Practices and Attitudes of Community Health Centers Toward the Use of Algorithmic Logic to Identify Patients with Undiagnosed Hypertension.

Treating patients with uncontrolled hypertension is a powerful intervention for reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Leveraging health information technology to identify patients with undiagnosed hypertension using algorithmic logic can be an effective approach for reaching hypertensive patients who may otherwise be overlooked. Despite evidence that this strategy can support favorable cardiovascular health outcomes in the safety-net healthcare setting, little is known about its implementation outside of targeted practice and research environments.

Using a Cohort-Based Quality Improvement Coaching Model to Optimize Chronic Disease Management for Federally Qualified Health Center Patients.

Context: In fall 2020, Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County, in collaboration with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, launched a 3-year, cohort-based quality improvement (QI) coaching program to assist Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in improving their clinical management of hypertension, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease.

Program: The QI program utilized a cohort-based coaching model in which 5 FQHCs were each assigned a practice transformation coach who provided them with guidance and support to monitor clinical quality measures. These measures were then used to facilitate changes and improvements in clinical workflows and approaches to patient care.