Evaluation of a learning collaborative to advance team-based care in Federally Qualified Health Centers

Practising team-based primary care allows Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) in the USA to be accredited as patient-centred medical homes, positioning them for value-based models of shared savings in healthcare costs. Team-based care (TBC) involves redesign of staff roles and care delivery processes to improve efficiency and effectiveness, which requires a systematic and supportive approach to practice change over time. Thirteen FQHC primary care teams participated in an 8-month learning collaborative with a goal of providing teams with the knowledge, skills and coaching support needed to advance TBC in their organisations. The primary aim was to evaluate self-reported changes in FQHC teams’ assessment of their practice relative to key concepts of TBC. The secondary aim was to evaluate how teams used the collaborative to develop new skills to advance TBC, and the implementation, service and patient outcomes they achieved. Site visits were conducted with three teams 6 months postcollaborative. Results: Two teams withdrew. The remaining teams embarked on 15 TBC improvement initiatives. Nine teams submitted a total of 11 playbooks to guide other staff in changes to their practice. Three teams reported improved efficiencies at the service level (screening and scheduling), and one improved outcomes in patients with diabetes. The nine teams that completed precollaborative and postcollaborative self-assessments reported improvements in their practice and in coach and team skills. Site visits revealed that actionable data were a barrier to improvement, coaching support from the collaborative was highly valued and FQHC leadership support was critical to improvement. Leadership investment in developing their primary care teams’ quality improvement, coaching and data analytical skills can advance TBC in their organisations.