CQN Asthma Program
Arkansas Chapter American Academy of Pediatrics
What is the CQN Asthma Program?
CQN Asthma Program is supporting 10 Arkansas practices in learning how to implement the latest guidelines from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)/National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) by providing tools, resources and technical support to lead a quality improvement effort. Arkansas Practices who are participating in this QI project are receiving credits toward the ABP Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Part IV performance in practice credit for completing the project.
Quality Improvement Consultants
While this project provides educational resources, the Chapter also has access to a Quality Improvement Consultants (QIC). The QIC is assisting practices in making system-based changes that improve asthma care within a medical home. Practices also have access to the Academy’s Education in Quality Improvement in Pediatric Practice (EQIPP) asthma module for data collection with the national office providing monthly data reports to the chapter’s leadership team and practices for feedback on practice performance.
Chapter Leadership Structure: The Arkansas Chapter-AAP has formed a Chapter Leadership Team comprised of a physician leader, asthma expert and a project manager to lead the CQN Asthma Project and build a sustainable QI infrastructure for the Chapter. At the practice level, the 10 participating practices have formed a quality improvement core team comprised of a lead physician, a clinical/nursing staff person, and an administrative staff person. The lead physician recruited their other practice providers to participate in this QI project.
Practices are participating in 4 chapter-led CME learning sessions to support measurable improvements in asthma care. Monthly action period calls with the chapter leadership team, the practice QI core team, the Academy, and the quality improvement consultant review and share performance data and QI methods to lead practice change consistent with asthma guidelines, while a listSERV connects peer led learning opportunities. The Physician Leader provides support by coaching practices through the process.
Through this initiative the AR Chapter-AAP will gain knowledge to support QI activities and projects in members’ practices and develop a sustainable improvement structure within the Chapter.