Practice coaches, usually outside experts, are individuals who work with primary care practices to make meaningful changes designed to improve patient outcomes. Practice coaches are trained professionals who collaborate with practices throughout the challenging—and rewarding—process of change.
By providing ongoing mentoring in employing quality concepts and technical assistance, coaches help practices define and achieve improvements in patient care. Coaches also help providers and improvement teams develop the skills they need to adapt clinical evidence to the specific circumstances of their practice environment.
Health care organizations initiating quality improvement programs may seek the support of practice coaches if they have little internal experience with identifying and implementing change. More experienced practices may use a coach to learn more advanced strategies, move past a stalled position, or to “harvest” ideas from other practices. Practice coaches can bring expertise on specific content areas, approaches, and resources to facilitate implementation of quality improvement activities. They also can assist practices in creating a customized strategy to plan for and manage change successfully. Practice coaches perform multiple functions to accomplish these tasks. Coaches can:
• Create capacity for ambulatory quality improvement
• Facilitate implementation of planned changes
• Connect practice-level changes to broader quality improvement efforts
• Educate practices on quality improvement initiatives
Compiled by Jen Powell, an AF4Q technical advisor working with the Improving Performance in Practice (IPIP) Technical Support Team.
How do practice coaches work with patient partners (patients who are engaged in QI efforts) to improve ambulatory care?
Learn from AF4Q Alliances’ pioneering work.
When do practice coaches end engagement with a practice?
It depends on a number of factors.
How is practice coaching a resource for ambulatory practice improvement?
AF4Q Alliances have developed practice coaching programs to support primary care practices' work in health care quality improvement.
How do practice coaches support practices in making organizational changes necessary to improve care?
Learn more from AF4Q Alliances.
What are the key skills and behaviors to look for when hiring a practice coach?
Enthusiastic leadership and project management skills are a good start
How can practice coaches assist practice leaders in identifying potential future reimbursement and incentives associated with QI initiatives?
One Alliance developed a tool to address this.
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