AF4Q knows that health care is a national problem that needs local solutions. That's why the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation asked the people who get care, give care, and pay for care in 16 communities to work together toward better care. This month's issue of Spotlight highlights the successes of Kansas City, Cincinnati, and Wisconsin as they address the vexing issues of childhood asthma, diabetes, and colorectal cancer.

Kansas City combating the most common childhood chronic disease, asthma. The greater Kansas City’s area AF4Q Alliance, led by the Kansas City Quality Improvement Consortium (KCQIC), has teamed up with Asthma Ready Communities (ARC) of the University of Missouri Health Systems to conduct a community project, KC TUAC. Poorly controlled asthma reduces the quality of life for children and adults and dramatically drives up the total cost of their care. KC TUAC  provides free, evidence-based, multimedia asthma education to children and school nurses.  

The successful program can be modeled in other communities to help the more than 10 million children affected in the country. Learn the secrets of KC TUAC here.

The direct medical costs associated with diabetes in the United States totaled more than $176 billion in 2012. With the help of Cincinnati Aligning Forces for Quality (AF4Q), led by the Health Collaborative, 13,500 diabetes patients in the Greater Cincinnati area have their disease under control, which means fewer heart attacks, fewer strokes, reduced risk of kidney failure, and lower costs. The Health Collaborative’s three years of ongoing analysis of diabetes care in Greater Cincinnati reveals patients of the more than 500 doctors reporting their diabetes results to the collaborative are showing improvement in their ability to control their disease. To assist the practices, the Health Collaborative has led three ongoing quality improvement programs that include group learning sessions and one-on-one coaching in the office setting. The organization also provides technical assistance to two hospital systems launching QI programs in their system-owned practices. 

Help fight diabetes and lower costs in your community by learning more about the Health Collaborative’s programs here.

Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States—but with early detection, it can be treated successfully. Early detection of colorectal cancer is inexpensive and saves lives. The Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality (WCHQ), leader of the AF4Q initiative in Wisconsin, has made colorectal cancer screenings a priority. Seventeen out of 21 provider organizations comprising WCHQ have reached an improvement target of a 70 percent or higher screening rate. The ultimate goal is to achieve a 70 percent rate for all patients, and WCHQ is well on its way.

Learn how WCHQ was able to improve colorectal cancer screening rates and how you can get started, too.