Lessons From Community Coalitions

Here is a great little article from Qualis Health. The bullets of key learnings may seem fundamental but they are profound.

Three years ago, there were only a few community-based efforts in our nation that focused on improving the safe and effective movement of patients between settings and reducing hospital readmissions. Now there are hundreds of such initiatives underway, and Qualis Health is pleased to have helped facilitate the formation and progress of many care transitions-focused community coalitions throughout Idaho and Washington.

Key learnings from our region include:

• Any provider or group of providers can initiate the formation of a coalition.
• Coalitions are most effective when they include not just the “usual” medical providers, but all stakeholders involved with patients and families in any aspect of their healthcare journey.
• Coalitions offer a forum for competing organizations to find common ground so they can work together.
• Transparency and collective energy move the group far beyond initial expectations.
• Different care settings can learn a lot from each other.
• Tracking data over time helps coalitions identify opportunities for improvement and provide feedback about the effectiveness of interventions.
• Community coalitions can share their journeys with neighboring communities and foster improvement across the state.