Practice Enhancement Forum (PEF)
Take THREE people who are experts in your current practice routine. Enjoy TWO days of expert advice personalized to your needs. Achieve the efficiency to create ONE cohesive family practice.
Step One:
Identify your team of three.
The first step is to identify your core team members and get them on board. Your team of three must include:
The first step is to identify your core team members and get them on board. Your team of three must include:
- a family physician
- a back office person: nurse, medical assistant or physician assistant
- a front office person: practice manager, receptionist or billing/coding specialist
You’ll need a sponsor (typically the physician) who will provide leadership for the team and the authority to allocate resources toward your team’s project. The other two team members contribute knowledge and expertise about how your practice currently delivers care and provides support for practice transformation. All three are key individuals and need to contribute ideas and energy to the project.
Step Two:
Learn through evaluation and expertise.
Pre-work: Approximately four weeks before the Forum, your team will receive a set of pre-course homework. The pre-work will prepare you for the on-site discussion and exercises, enhance your learning experience, and provide a foundation for the post-course improvement project. Your pre-work will include:
Pre-work: Approximately four weeks before the Forum, your team will receive a set of pre-course homework. The pre-work will prepare you for the on-site discussion and exercises, enhance your learning experience, and provide a foundation for the post-course improvement project. Your pre-work will include:
- An on-line practice assessment and chart review via the AAFP’s METRIC program
- A video introduction to the chronic care model
- Select readings from The Improvement Guide: A Practical Approach to Improving Organizational Performance and the Family Practice Management Practice Improvement Anthology
Forum: Next, your team will participate in a two-day course featuring experiential learning, facilitated group discussion, and exercises designed to jump-start your team in practice improvement and office redesign. During the two-day meeting your team will:
- Learn about the Chronic Care Model and how to enhance your care for patients with chronic illness.
- Discover how to organize your team to provide optimal patient care.
- Develop leadership, change management, and performance measurement skills.
- Work hand-in-hand with your QI mentor to outline your practice improvement goals and develop a strategy for implementation.
Step Three:
Implement and connect.
After the Forum, you will implement your improvement project and complete your METRIC module. The METRIC program aids the development of an action plan for improvement and then walks you through an online practice re-assessment and chart review following a 3-6 month action/implementation period. Throughout the process, you’ll benefit from the attention of your local QI mentor via phone, e-mail or personal visits.
After the Forum, you will implement your improvement project and complete your METRIC module. The METRIC program aids the development of an action plan for improvement and then walks you through an online practice re-assessment and chart review following a 3-6 month action/implementation period. Throughout the process, you’ll benefit from the attention of your local QI mentor via phone, e-mail or personal visits.
Registration -- Register for a PEF course.
Supported by a grant from the AAFP Foundation made possible by the Atlantic Philanthropies Foundation.
