QUALITY
Hard evidence TMA collaborates with AHRQ on evidence-based decisionmaking tools
BY AMY LYNN SORREL Lisa Ehrlich, MD, often finds the same questions rou- tinely come up with her patients, whether they face a new diabetes diagno- sis or have managed their particular condition for a while and ask about avail- ability of new drugs. Even though the Houston inter- nist is generally up to date on the latest research, she can’t always find it in one place. Nor is a 15-minute office visit always enough time to answer all of her patients’ questions, espe- cially if they need time to digest the information and make a treatment decision. With help from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ’s) Effective Health Care Program, however, Dr. Ehrlich has a new tool that puts evidence-based research on diabetes treat- ments and a host of other diseases at her fingertips. Without having to sift through dozens of PubMed articles, she can read a quick clinical summary of the comparative safety and
quality of care, and even to physicians’ economic viability. We want to make sure we are putting our resources where they are most effective,” said Dr. Ehrlich, chair of the Texas Medical Association Coun- cil on Health Care Quality. The program not only helps to improve physi- cians’ access to evidence- based sources, but it also helps doctors deliver that information to their pa- tients, adds Frank J. Vil- lamaria, MD. The Temple anesthesiologist is a mem- ber and past chair of TMA’s quality council and past medical director for quality at Scott & White Health- care, now Baylor Scott & White Health. “Patient engagement is
“Treating patients in the most evidence-based manner is always going to be the best choice,” says Frank J. Villamaria, MD. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s Effective Health Care Program helps physicians do just that.
a fundamental premise of quality, and this [program] takes it to the next level,” he said. “In most cases, this information supports what doctors already know. But it allows them to explain it in a way that supports what they are ad- vocating to the patient.” Like Choosing Wisely
efficacy of available diabetes medications. If a patient thinks he should be on testosterone replacement therapy after hear- ing about it anecdotally, she can point him directly to the evi- dence summarized in a patient-friendly brochure. “From a quality standpoint, evidence-based decisionmaking is one of our top priorities. It’s valuable to patients’ health, to
(
www.texmed.org/choosingwisely), the Effective Health Care (EHC) Program is part of a growing national effort to empower physicians and patients with reliable tools to promote shared and informed health care decisions. “We are trying to facilitate even more those conversations and channel these kinds of resources to the benefit of Texas
June 2014 TEXAS MEDICINE 49
JIM LINCOLN
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