Health and Medical Administration Commons^™

The Path To Health Equity Through Multidisciplinary Collaboration, Cynthia Haq

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

The author, a guest editor for this special issue of the Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews dedicated to health disparities and inequities, comments on recent studies demonstrating poorer health outcomes among various patient populations in the United States despite its having higher spending per capita than any other nation. Noting that health inequities are defined as avoidable differences, the author encourages health professionals to work to narrow these gaps.

Improving Chronic Pain Management Processes In Primary Care Using Practice Facilitation And Quality Improvement: The Central Appalachia Inter-Professional Pain Education Collaborative, Roberto Cardarelli, Sarah Weatherford, Jennifer Schilling, Dana King, Sue Workman, Wade Rankin, Juanita Hughes, Jonathan Piercy, Amy Conley-Sallaz, Melissa Zook, Kendra Unger, Emma White, Barbara Astuto, Bobbi Stover

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Purpose: With the increasing burden of chronic pain and opioid use, provider shortages in Eastern Kentucky and West Virginia have experienced many challenges related to chronic pain management. This study tested a practice facilitator model in both academic and community clinics that selected and implemented best practice processes to better assist patients with chronic pain and increase the use of interdisciplinary health care services.

Methods: Using a quasi-experimental design, a practice facilitator was assigned to each state’s clinics and trained clinic teams in quality improvement methods to implement chronic pain tool(s) and workflow processes. Charts for 695 patients with chronic …

Challenges In Delivering Refugee Health Services, Thy Vo, Fabiana Kotovicz

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Background: Aurora Health Care is the major health care system providing care to refugees in Milwaukee, where half of Wisconsin’s refugee population resides. Like many other institutions caring for refugee patients, Aurora faces significant challenges when trying to address refugee health needs. Even with the assistance of medical interpreters, cultural differences, language barriers and limited patient health literacy, as well as lack of knowledge of refugee patients’ backgrounds, are major obstacles encountered by health care providers in this setting.

Purpose: This quality improvement study aims to assess Aurora providers’ perceptions of the benefits and barriers to working with refugee …