Creating Medical Homes in Washington State

Objective: To describe the implementation process of the Washington Patient-Centered Medical Home Collaborative (WAPCMHC) in primary care practices in Washington State.

Methods: Strong partnerships historically contributed to collaboratives by providing leadership, logistical support, and funding since 1999 in Washington State. A new partnership with the Improving Performance in Practice (IPIP) national initiative through our local Academy of Family Physicians lead to a more robust collaborative. Partners forming the WSC Advisory Council monitor progress and provide guidance to the collaborative implementation. The WAPCMHC provides medical practices with on-site coaching, webinars, and five learning sessions.

Results: Thirty-three primary care practices are participating of the WAPCMHC. Outcomes and process measures are being tracked through clinic’s reports submitted to the collaborative. Success stories to date, lessons learned and the wide range of approaches tested and implemented in clinics to improve care will be presented.   

Conclusion:Learning Collaborative are an effective model for improving the healthcare delivery system. In Washington State, the collaborative model has evolved to fit the changing needs of primary care for quality improvement initiatives.