title: Navigating change: how outreach facilitators can help clinicians improve patient outcomes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to describe outreach facilitation as an effective method of assisting and supporting primary care practices to improve processes and delivery of care.
  
  
  METHODS
  We spent 4 years working with 83 practices in Eastern Ontario, Canada, on the Improved Delivery of Cardiovascular Care through the Outreach Facilitation program.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Primary care practices, even if highly motivated, face multiple challenges when providing quality patient care. Outreach facilitation can be an effective method of assisting and supporting practices to make the changes necessary to improve processes and delivery of care. Multiple jurisdictions use outreach facilitation for system redesign, improved efficiencies, and advanced access.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The development and implementation of quality improvement programs using practice facilitation can be challenging. Our research team has learned valuable lessons in developing tools, finding resources, and assisting practices to reach their quality improvement goals. These lessons can lead to improved experiences for the practices and overall improved outcomes for the patients they serve.
authors.affiliation: CT Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Élisabeth Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Dianne
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Laferriere
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liddy
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nash
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hogg
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001241:Aspirin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000628:therapy; D057286:Electronic Health Records; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D009864:Ontario; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D058996:Quality Improvement / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D001241:Aspirin; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human