Primary care agencies are probably swimming in data. What to do with all of that information?
A new handbook outlines ways to lead organizations to make better use of their health information technology to improve operations. The handbook, Obtaining and Using Data in Practice Improvement: A Handbook for Health IT Advisors and Practice Facilitators, is "a resource for the coaches who provide health IT-related assistance for primary care practices to support their QI and practice transformation efforts." Sections include:
- Strategies for Health IT Advisors
- Working with Electronic Health Records
- Clinical Decision Support
- Patient Portals and Engagement Technologies
- Incorporating Patient-generated Data for Quality Improvement
- Electronic Health Record Use Cases for Quality Improvement
- Beyond the Electronic Health Record: Alternative Data Sources for Quality Improvement
- Review of Clinical Quality Measures
- Review of Risk-Stratification in Primary Care
The handbook is one of the tools in the AHRQ's Evidence Now collection.