Overview

Held in 2006, 2008 and 2009, the Improving Patient Experience Collaborative was an 18-month program designed to improve an organization's Patient Assessment Survey (PAS) scores. Organizations that worked with the California Quality Collaborative since 2006 have doubled their rate of improvement over other California organizations in key dimensions of the patient experience. Participating organizations:

• Learned key changes to improve patient experience PAS scores
• Received local and national expert assistance to implement the changes in their organization
• Learned how to motivate practices to make changes
• Received free training in 20 physician practices in patient communication skills (2008 and 2009)
• Learned practical strategies from other California physician groups to improve the patient experience
• Had access to vendors and resources to support their implementation, and coaching from those vendors

Learning and Outcomes

We have summarized the rich and extensive learning from these groups and the literature into an easy-to-use guide and identified nine high-impact changes that lead to an improvement in patient satisfaction. The guide includes practical tips for physicians and office practices on access, communication and care coordination, as well as a section on tactical and strategic changes organizations can make to support physician practices to improve the patient experience.

Download the Guide: CQC Guide to Improving the Patient Experience (DOC | PDF)

See summary of outcomes for the 2006 and 2008 Improving Patient Experience Collaboratives

Past Collaboratives

Review faculty, expert panelists, and participants from previous years:

Faculty

• Tammy Fisher, MPH, Senior Manager, California Quality Collaborative
• Dan O'Connell, PhD, Institute for Healthcare Communication
• Patti Simino Boyce, PhD, RN
• Diane Stewart, MBA, Director, Performance Improvement, California Quality Collaborative

Expert Panelists

• Laurence Baker, PhD, Institute for Healthcare Communication
• Eric Coleman, MD, Associate Professor, Division of Health Care Policy & Research, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
• Sharon Katz, RN, Vice President, Mills Peninsula Medical Group
• Jim Malone, Executive Director of Ambulatory Ventures, Kaiser Permanente
• David Quincy, MD, Medical Director, Camino Medical Group
• Rebecca Snakowski, Manager of Performance Improvement, Monarch Healthcare
• Neil Solomon, MD, CQC Clinical Director / VP & Senior Medical Director of Quality & Medical Policy, Health Net
• Jill Steinbruegge, MD, Consultant

Participants

• Affiliated Doctors of Orange County
• Affinity Medical Group
• Beaver / EPIC
• Bright Health Physicians
• Bristol Park Medical Group
• Desert Oasis
• Facey Medical Group
• Greater Newport Physicians Medical Group
• John Muir Medical Group
• Mercy Medical Group / Primecare / NAMM
• Monarch Healthcare
• NorthBay Healthcare
• Physicians Medical Group of Santa Cruz
• Seaview IPA
• Sharp Medical Group
• St. Joseph's Heritage Network