1. Improving patient access to medical services: preventing the patient from being lost in translation.
- Author
-
Bichel A, Erfle S, Wiebe V, Axelrod D, and Conly J
- Subjects
- Alberta, Congresses as Topic, Health Care Reform organization & administration, Humans, Medical Records, Models, Organizational, National Health Programs organization & administration, Organizational Case Studies, Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care, Program Development, Program Evaluation, Time Factors, Triage organization & administration, Waiting Lists, Continuity of Patient Care organization & administration, Health Services Accessibility organization & administration, Patient-Centered Care organization & administration, Referral and Consultation organization & administration, Systems Integration, Total Quality Management organization & administration
- Abstract
The Medical Access to Service project was initiated to broadly engage participants in the health system to collectively improve service integration and patient access to primary care and specialist medical services. The Conference Model (the Axelrod Group, Willmette, IL) was used as a change vehicle. The ideal design was translated into the creation of central access and triage (CAT) processes across medical specialties, development of prioritization tools and implementation of access and efficiency through Alberta AIM (access improvement measures) collaboratives for process re-engineering. The ultimate goal for all Albertans who need care is one point-of-access--one standardized process to ensure equal access for all regardless of where they live.
- Published
- 2009
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