AMCNO To Participate on Leadership Team for Aligning Forces for Quality Initiative

The AMCNO board of directors agreed that the AMCNO should become an active participant in the AF4Q program, and the AMCNO has agreed to participate as a part of the AF4Q Leadership Team. Aligning Forces for Quality – The Northeast Ohio Collaborative (Aligning Forces NEO) is a multi-stakeholder alliance committed to improving the quality of care for people with common chronic conditions. Its focus on primary care in outpatient settings tackles improvement at the ground level, bringing a promise of better health for the chronically ill in Cuyahoga County and beyond. Aligning Forces NEO was officially launched Feb. 1, 2007, when the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) selected Greater Cleveland as one of 14 communities to participate in a new national program, Aligning Forces for Quality – The Regional Market Project.

The alliance convenes providers, payers and patients to shape strategies using three building blocks to improve care and outcomes: Public reporting of nationally recognized performance measures at the practice-site level; provider education in quality improvement based on national models; and region-wide patient and community engagement to increase understanding of quality care and improve patients’ self-care capabilities. The ultimate goal of Aligning Forces NEO is improve outcomes for the chronically ill. Diabetes is the first condition that is being addressed. Hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary heart disease will be added in second year of reports.

The AMCNO representatives are to obtain and review additional information about the AF4Q program as it progresses and report back to the board and the AMCNO membership. Two AMCNO board members have agreed to participate as part of the Leadership Team. AMCNO Executive staff will monitor the group as well. Physicians interested in more information on the program should contact Diane Solov, Program Manager, Aligning Forces for Quality - the Northeast Ohio Collaborative, at dsolov@metrohealth.org.