Improving Effective Preventative Care Within an Urban Working Population.

Abstract

To assess whether standardized screening and service navigation improve access to primary care in low wage workers. Four rapid plan-do-study-act cycles were conducted over an 8-week period. Each cycle consisted of four core interventions. Data were collected every 2 to 3 days, then analyzed on run charts and aggregate data tables. Effective care was achieved by increasing the percentage of patients with a primary care provider from 52% to 79%. Patients' perception of health increased from 3.6 to 4.4 and team communication and support score increased from 3.9 to 4.2 on a 5-point Likert scale. Patient engagement and a standardized referral process aids in the establishment of routine, effective care. Application of "smart phrases" in electronic health records provides sustainability for use in other occupational medicine practices.