Clinicians and Health Leaders Gather in Dallas to Accelerate Changes in Primary Care and to Improve Health in the Community

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CAMBRIDGE, Mass. & DALLAS, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center) – The growing necessity to link health care delivery with the support and tools needed to lead healthier lives is very much in evidence at the 16th Annual International Summit on Improving Patient Care in the Office Practice and the Community taking place in Dallas, TX this week. Convened by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), a leading innovator in health and health care improvement worldwide, and running March 15-17, more than 1,000 clinical providers and leaders are sharing the latest developments from communities around the world. Key themes are the transformation of primary care, engaging patients in their care, supporting communities and populations in their efforts to achieve and maintain better health, and new opportunities for leveraging health IT.

“build relationships with patients that when combined with clinical skill have broader impact on the people and communities we serve.”

This morning, IHI Senior Vice President Trissa Torres, MD, opened the Summit with a keynote address in which she encouraged the audience to “build relationships with patients that when combined with clinical skill have broader impact on the people and communities we serve.” Dr. Torres reminded the gathering that to work in primary care today requires new approaches and new mindsets that, among other things, take into account patients’ own individual qualities, backgrounds, and goals that should be leveraged as an asset toward their improved health, rather than seen as an obstacle. This approach isn’t yet the norm, nor the way many doctors and nurses have trained, and Dr. Torres acknowledged that transitioning to this mindset requires some adjustment. She challenged attendees to think about the preconceptions, practices, and mentalities that they would need to let go of to achieve the mutual trust and respect needed to together work toward improved patient and population health.

Mary Brainerd, President and Chief Executive Officer of HealthPartners, Inc., the largest, consumer-governed, nonprofit health care organization in the U.S., will also speak at the Summit. Brainerd will discuss the role of health systems in building healthier communities, as well as some of the emerging models for health systems to partner with others in their communities. Sir Harry Burns, professor of global public health at the University of Strathclyde and former Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, will address the Summit on Tuesday, focusing on international developments around health and wellness, and sharing lessons learned from his work to address health inequalities.

SCALE Finalists Announced

At the Summit, IHI also announced the 57 finalists for funding grants to support promising community-based work on health improvement, as part of a brand new initiative known as SCALE (Spreading Community Accelerators through Learning and Evaluation). Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and led by IHI, Community Solutions, Communities Joined in Action, and the Collaborative Health Network, SCALE aims to work with communities to develop capability to improve health and to spread effective community-driven approaches across the U.S.

SCALE will involve up to 30 communities from across the U.S., and will match up to 10 “mentor communities” – those with a recent track record of achieving better health – with 20 “pacesetter communities” that are seeking to accelerate their pace of change. With multiple sources of support, communities will seek to spread effective, best practices as quickly as possible, in order to realize improvements in health. Together, all the communities intend to stand as beacons and resources for any community, anywhere, striving to obtain the best health possible, especially those most vulnerable to poor health due to poverty, violence, or lack of social supports.

This initiative marks the first community-based program of the recently announced global initiative, 100 Million Healthier Lives, led by IHI and 115 founding project partners. Through unprecedented collaboration, this initiative aims to achieve an audacious goal: 100 million people living healthier lives by 2020. To date, more than 400 patients, community members, leaders, organizations, and implementers across the domains of public health, community health, health care, policy, academia, business, and financing have joined the 100 Million Healthier Lives initiative, with additional members welcome to join here.

“We are thrilled with the strong interest from communities around the country interested in joining the SCALE initiative to accelerate their health improvement journey – and to ultimately help build a healthier world,” stated Soma Stout, Executive External Lead, Health Improvement, IHI. “Selected from more than 200 applicants, these finalists represent some of the most innovative and creative approaches to improving the health and well-being of people, populations, and their communities-at-large.”

Today’s 57 grant finalists, selected from close to 200 applicants across the country, will be narrowed to approximately 30 communities by mid-April.

The SCALE finalists include:

Algoma, WI
Live Algoma Coalition
Bellin Health
School District of Algoma
Precision Machine Inc.

Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Regional Collaborative for Health Improvement (ARCHI)
Georgia State University Research Foundation’s Georgia Health Policy Center
Atlanta Regional Commission
United Way of Greater Atlanta
St. Joseph’s Mercy Care
Kaiser Permanente
Grady Health System

Bernalillo County, NM
Bernalillo County Community Health Council
Presbyterian Healthcare Services
NM Department of Health/Health Promotion
Albuquerque Public Schools/Student, Family & Community Supports Division
UNM/HSC/Office of Community Health Initiatives/Pathways to a Healthy Bernalillo County
First Choice Community Healthcare

Boston, MA
Vital Village Network Boston Medical Center
Orchard Gardens K-8 Pilot School
Medical-Legal Partnership/Boston
Child Witness to Violence Project
Boston LISC
Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative

Cattaraugus County, NY
Cattaraugus County Health Department
Cattaraugus County Department of Aging
Healthy Community Alliance
Southern Tier Health Care System
Salamanca Youth Center
University Primary Care

Central Connecticut, CT
Central Connecticut Health District
Wethersfield Parks and Recreation
Greater Hartford YMCA
North Central Regional Mental Health Board

Chelsea, MA
Healthy Chelsea Coalition, MGH Chelsea HealthCare Center
City of Chelsea, Massachusetts
Chelsea Collaborative
The Neighborhood Developers
CAPIC Head Start
Chelsea Public Schools

Cheshire County, NH
Cheshire Medical Center
Monadnock Coalition for the Promotion of Breastfeeding
Monadnock Regional Transportation Management Association
Monadnock HEAL Coalition
Cheshire Coalition for Tobacco-free Communities
Advocates for Healthy Youth

Chicago, IL
Chicago Department of Public Health
Center for Faith and Community Health Transformation
Heartland Human Care Services
Health & Medicine Policy Research Group
Alliance for Research in Chicagoland Communities
Respiratory Health Association

Chicago, IL
Proviso-Leyden Council for Community Action
Loyola Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
Proviso East High School
Triton College
Loyola University Hospital
Cook County Department of Public Health

Chicago, IL
Quad Communities Development Organization
University of Chicago Medical
Adler University
Near North Health Center
University of Chicago Office of Civic Engagement
Bright Star Community Church

Chicago, IL
West Humboldt Park Family and Community Development Council
University of Illinois at Chicago: Midwest Latino Health Research Training and Policy Center
Northwestern Medicine
Neighborhood Housing Services
Salvation Army
Chicago Commons

Cincinnati, OH
The Health Collaborative
United Way of Greater Cincinnati
Interact for Health
Health Care Access Now

Cleveland, OH
MetroHealth - Center for Reducing Health Disparities
Buckeye Shaker Square Development Corporation
East End Neighborhoods House
Fairhill Partners
Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority
Buckeye Ministries in Mission

El Paso, TX
Paso del Norte Health Foundation
Emergence Health Network
Aliviane, Inc
Sierra Providence Health Network

Granville, NC
Granville-Vance District Health Department, NC
Granville Vance Public Health
Granville Health Systems
Northern Piedmont Community Care
NC Cooperative Extension, Granville County
Granville County Schools, Stovall-Shaw Elementary

Health Choices, Healthy Communities (KY, OH, WV)
Our Lady of Bellefonte Foundation
Healthy Choices Healthy Communities
King's Daughters Medical Center
Boyd County Health Department
Greenup County Health Department
Ashland Independent Schools

Hennepin County, MN
Hennepin Health Foundation, Hennepin Healthcare System, Inc. d/b/a Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC)
Hennepin County Human Services and Public Health Department, Public Health Promotion
Northwest Hennepin Family Services Collaborative
North Sky Health Consulting
Brooklyn Park, Minnesota

Jackson, MI
Health Improvement Organization
Cradle to Career Education Network
Financial Stability Strand

Kern County, CA
Kern County Public Health Services Department
Clinica Sierra Vista
Kern Family Health Care
Kern County Superintendent of Schools
Kern County Environmental Health Division

Kittitas County, WA
Kittitas County Public Health Department
Kittitas County Community Network & Coalition
Central Washington University

Lake County, FL
Florida Department of Health, Lake County Health Department
United Way of Lake and Sumter Counties, Inc.
LifeStream Behavioral Center, Inc
Gateway Community Health Network, Inc.
Shared Services Network (initiative of Lake County Schools)
We Care of Lake County, Inc.

Lane County, OR
United Way of Lane County
PeaceHealth
Trillium Community Health Plan
Lane County Public Health

Laramie County, WY
Laramie County Community Partnership, Inc.
HealthWorks
Cheyenne Regional Medical Center
United Way of Laramie County
Laramie County Community College

Los Angeles, CA
Downtown Women's Center
United Homeless Healthcare Partners
JWCH Institute
University of Southern California, School of Social Work
Los Angeles Central Providers Collaborative
L.A. Care Health Plan

Loudoun County, VA
Loudoun County Health Department
HealthWorks for Northern Virginia
Loudoun Interfaith Relief
Loudoun Valley Homegrown Markets Cooperative
Loudoun Pediatric Obesity Coalition

Lucas County, OH
Toledo-Lucas County Health Department
Live Well Greater Toledo
Mercy Health North LLC
ProMedica

Manatee County, FL
Manatee County Government
Realize Bradenton
Manatee Chamber of Commerce
Florida Department of Health in Manatee County

Maricopa County, AZ
Maricopa County Department of Public Health
Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD)
Banner Health
Esperanca
City of Phoenix- FitPHX

Miami Gardens, FL
City of Miami Gardens - Live Healthy Miami Gardens
North Dade Youth and Family Coalition
Trinity Church Peacemakers
Institute for Child & Family
Miami Gardens Drug-Free Coalition
Jessie Trice Community Health Centers

Milwaukee, WI
Southside EAT Coalition/ CORE El Centro
Sixteenth Street Community Health Center
Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center
Center for Urban Population Health
UW-Extension

New Britain, CT
Coalition for New Britain's Youth
Consolidated School District of New Britain
Community Health Center
YWCA of New Britain
City of New Britain Health Department
Wheeler Clinic

New York, NY
Coalition for Asian American Children and Families
Sustainable Queens (SustyQ)
Chinese-American Planning Council
Mekong
University Settlement - Houston Street Center

North Colorado
North Colorado Health Alliance
Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment
Sunrise Community Health (FQHC)
United Way of Weld County
High Plains Library District

Northwest Colorado
Northwest Colorado Visiting Nurse Association
Grand County Rural Health Network
Mind Springs Health
Yampa Valley Medical Center
The Memorial Hospital
Routt County Department of Human Services

Oklahoma City, OK
Oklahoma City County Health Department
City of Oklahoma City
INTEGRIS Health System
Oklahoma City Public Schools
Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma
Wellness Now

Osceola County, FL
Health Council of East Central Florida
Community Vision
Osceola Council on Aging
Florida Dept. of Health in Osceola County

Portland, ME
Maine Access Immigrant Network (MAIN)
Greater Portland Refugee and Immigrant Health Collaborative
University of New England
CarePartners
City of Portland Public Health Minority Health Program
Community Financial Literacy

Pueblo, CO
Pueblo Triple Aim Corporation
Pueblo City County Health Department
Catholic Charities of Pueblo
Pueblo Community Health Center
Integrated Community Health Partners

Raleigh, NC
YMCA of the Triangle
Wake County Human Services
DHIC Affordable Housing
WakeMed Health and Hospitals
Wake County Public School System
Fertile Ground Food Coop

Richmond County, NC
FirstHealth of the Carolinas
Richmond County Health Department
Richmond County Cooperative Extension
Rockingham Housing Authority
City of Rockingham
Richmond County Schools

Richmond, VA
Seventh District Health & Wellness Initiative
Richmond City Health District
Virginia Commonwealth University

Roanoke Valley, VA
Healthy Roanoke Valley
City of Roanoke
Carilion Clinic
Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission
Roanoke City Health Department
Roanoke City Public Schools

Salt Lake City, UT
Ethnic Community-based Organization for Refugees
Musungu HIV/AIDS Support Organization
Burundi Drummers
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Community Outreach Division)

San Francisco, CA
Saint Francis Foundation
Saint Francis Memorial Hospital
San Francisco Department of Public Health
San Francisco Mayor's Office of Economic and Workforce Development
University of California San Francisco
Boys and Girls Clubs of San Francisco

San Gabriel Valley, CA
City of Hope
Neighbors Acting Together Helping All (NATHA)
City of Duarte
Duarte Unified School District (DUSD)

Schenectady, NY
Ellis Medicine
Schenectady Community Action Program
Schenectady County Public Health Services
Central State Street Neighborhood Association
Chamber of Schenectady County
The Schenectady Foundation

Sitka, AK
Sitka Health Summit
Southeast Alaska Regional Hospital Consortium
Sitka Community Hospital
Braveheart Volunteers

Southern Kenai Peninsula, AK
South Peninsula Hospital
South Peninsula Haven House
South Peninsula Behavioral Health Services
Kenai Peninsula College Kachemak Bay Campus
City of Homer
R.E.C. Room of the Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic

Southwest Indiana
Welborn Baptist Foundation
St. Mary's Health System
Vanderburgh County Health Department
YMCA of Southwestern Indiana
Vectren Corporation
Southwest Indiana Chamber

Summit County, OH
Summit County Public Health
City of Akron
Northeast Ohio Medical University
Kent State University
University of Akron
Akron Children's Hospital

Tioga County, PA
Tioga County Partnership for Community Health
Susquehanna Health System
Tioga County Department of Human Services
Mansfield University

Torrance County, NM
Partnership for Healthy Torrance Community
Torrance County United Way Rural Committee
Sanctuary Zone, Inc.
Tri-County Juvenile Justice Board
Central Region Educational Cooperative
Rt. 66 Counseling Services

Waterville, ME
Healthy Northern Kennebec
Kennebec Behavioral Health
Kennebec Valley Community Action Program
Waterville Main Street
Family Violence Project
City of Waterville

Western New York State
Lake Plains Community Care Network, Inc.
Genesee County Department of Health
United Memorial Medical Center

Williamson, WV
Williamson Health and Wellness Center, Inc.
Strong Through Our Plan Coalition
Mingo County Schools
Williamson Redevelopment Authority
West Virginia University Extension Service
Williamson Farmers Market, My Mobile Market

Winona, MN
Winona Health Project FINE
Winona Hy-Vee
Winona Volunteer Services
Winona Area Public Schools
Winona Family YMCA

About The Institute for Healthcare Improvement

IHI is a leading innovator in health and health care improvement worldwide. For more than 25 years, we have partnered with visionaries, leaders, and front-line practitioners around the globe to spark bold, inventive ways to improve the health of individuals and populations. Recognized as an innovator, convener, trustworthy partner, and driver of results, we are the first place to turn for expertise, help, and encouragement for anyone, anywhere who wants to change health and health care profoundly for the better. To advance our mission, IHI’s work is focused in five key areas: Improvement Capability; Person- and Family-Centered Care; Patient Safety; Quality, Cost, and Value; and Triple Aim for Populations. Learn more at ihi.org.

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