Calling all technology developers: RWJF's Hospital Price Transparency Challenge is challenging information technology specialists to spark creative ways to view and use these data to increase their impact. The challenge has two categories: visualization and application. Join the June 18 webinar to learn more.
Activities in each of the 16 Aligning Forces for Quality communities are guided by a multistakeholder alliance of consumers, providers, and payers. This article in Health Affairs describes how the Aligning Forces for Quality investments have evolved since the initiative’s launch in 2006 and offers some early lessons learned.
As health care costs continue to affect employers’ bottom lines, growing evidence that payment reform strategies can help control costs is spurring employer purchasers to switch how they pay for care. A set of briefs from AcademyHealth explain different strategies, share results and lessons learned from employers pioneering these projects, and offer tips for employers.
A new collection of success stories from the front lines of American health care provides free access to strategies used by hospitals and medical practices nationwide to improve care. This library of innovations is based on years of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation-funded hospital and community-based health care quality improvement initiatives.
The Partnership for Sustainable Health Care, a coalition of diverse national organizations, developed recommendations for curbing health care spending and improving quality, ranging from shedding fee-for-service payment, to rewarding states that slow the growth in spending with some of the savings.
An interactive repository of public reports that measure the quality and cost of care physicians and hospitals provide.
Our signature effort to lift the overall quality of health care in targeted communities, reduce racial and ethnic disparities and provide models for national reform.
Learn more about AF4Q
Too often, patients leave the hospital confused about how to care for themselves at home, ultimately causing them to return to the hospital. Hospitals and health care organizations are addressing the problem of avoidable readmissions by taking steps to help patients get the care they need, including simplifying discharge instructions, working one-on-one with patients at high risk for being readmitted, and improving coordination between hospitals and outpatient care facilities.
Learn more about reducing avoidable readmissions
As the largest purchaser of health care in America, employers are paying a high price for poor-quality care. About 55 percent of Americans get health insurance through employers, and employers pay for nearly three-quarters of premiums. Improving the quality of health care could improve health while saving money. AF4Q alliances have worked with local employers to improve employees' health and the quality and value of their care.
Learn how employers can improve quality and save money
Even after controlling for factors such as insurance coverage, socioeconomic status, and other illnesses, significant racial and ethnic inequalities in health care persist in the U.S. That’s why Aligning Forces for Quality (AF4Q) and Finding Answers are actively studying, developing and implementing strategies to reduce racial and ethnic gaps in care. By focusing on the collection of race, ethnicity and language data, improving translation services, and sharing best practices, these projects are leading the way to reduce disparities in care.
Learn more about equity in U.S. health care
It’s a coin toss whether Americans get all the recommended care they need. That’s why Aligning Forces for Quality (AF4Q) is helping doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals systemically improve the quality of care they deliver. In communities nationwide, AF4Q alliances are developing interventions and pilot-testing techniques to improve the way ambulatory care is delivered and fundamentally changing their local health systems.
Learn about ambulatory quality improvement
Improving hospital-based care is a core priority of AF4Q. The initiative is working with nearly 300 hospitals in 16 targeted communities to develop, test, implement, and spread quality improvement strategies among their hospitals and beyond, focusing on: reducing readmissions; increasing ED efficiency; improving language services; and engaging front-line staff.
Learn about hospital quality improvement
In less than a decade, the push for transparency in health care has come a long way. Publicly reported performance data have motivated health care providers to improve their care and led employers to change purchasing habits. Reports are becoming more meaningful and accessible to consumers.
View lessons and resources from AF4Q on performance measurement and public reporting
Health insurance exchanges aren't just an opportunity to expand access to health insurance. They also offer states a number of options to drive quality improvement and delivery system reform. As states and the federal government work to create exchanges, lessons from AF4Q and other resources from RWJF can inform these efforts.
Explore how exchanges can help consumers obtain quality careWe are committed to improving the quality of health care for all Americans.
Read our strategyVideo updates from Quality/Equality programs and initiatives.