The MOQC team was delighted to see so many of you at the Fall Regional Meetings. The meetings provided updates on several MOQC initiatives, featured a practice interview about tobacco cessation efforts, and provided an opportunity for brainstorming and feedback about the new interprofessional development initiative.
Updates on the new Meal Delivery Program, the Cancer Drug Repository, YesRX™, and the Financial Navigation Initiative were provided. Please read more about each of these initiatives in this newsletter.
Measure Spotlight – For each region, one or two people from one practice shared their experiences related to tobacco cessation efforts, focusing on the “why” behind tobacco cessation, their process for patient referral and counseling, challenges in meeting patients where they are, and stories of success. We shared changes in QuitLink, the tobacco cessation support service we work with through our collaboration with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Patients can now receive motivational interviewing via text, email, chat, or phone, based on what the patient prefers. MOQC is encouraging a move toward an opt-out approach, where patients who smoke are referred to the QuitLink automatically, unless they ask not to be. This QR code has more information about the QuitLink.
Patient-Reported Outcomes – We shared initial data from the three sites that have completed their first round of data collection along with lessons learned throughout the pilot. 185 patients completed the survey, and nearly 80% of those provided their identifying information for linkage to MOQCLink data. In the pilot data, 17.8% of patients reported at least one social need. Nearly 23% of patients rated at least one toxicity as frequent or almost constant with the top symptoms being anxiety, sad feelings, and diarrhea. About 13% of patients rated at least one toxicity as severe or very severe, with the top symptoms being anxiety, sad feelings, and neuropathic pain.
Interprofessional Development – POQC members shared stories about how their experiences had been shaped by members of their care teams. The care of patients and their loved ones involves everyone in your practice. POQC members then introduced our new initiative, which will provide education and other training opportunities for your practices. A request to provide information and training support for non-physician team members was made by several members of our practices. The regional meeting discussion addressed the following questions: “What does this initiative make possible?” “What roles could be included in interprofessional development?” and “What topics could be covered?” All the meetings involved lively discussion and excellent ideas brought forward for the interprofessional development initiative. The next step is to form a Working Group to create our offerings for the first year of this initiative. Thank you if you’ve already indicated your interest. Candidate topics include compassionate de-escalation, grief, and tobacco cessation counseling for medical assistants among others.