Founded in 2005, the North Carolina Practice Improvement Collaborative’s aim is to ensure that consumers seeking services and supports through the state’s mental health, developmental disability and substance abuse service system receive appropriate high-quality care. To achieve that mission, the NC PIC reviews new services and supports, makes recommendations about implementation, and monitors the implementation of those practices. The NC PIC has three subcommittees: mental health, developmental disability, and substance abuse. The interventions selected are those practices that have been shown to result in improved life outcomes for consumers and families. Ongoing review and monitoring ensures that the practices are working optimally or indicates where adjustments are needed in order to bring about better outcomes. This approach to quality is not unique to MH/DD/SA or even healthcare, but is based on principles formulated by pioneers in the quality improvement field.
The highest level of performance requires more than a good philosophy – the organization must change its behavior and adopt new ways of doing business and commit to ever-improving quality. – W. Edward Deming.
The processes of the NCPIC provide the framework for the state of North Carolina’s ongoing commitment to quality improvement for its mental health, developmental disability, and substance abuse consumers.
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How are programs selected for review? |
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Services and supports may be suggested by consumers, providers, and educators/ researchers, as well as NC PIC members. To date, applications that have been reviewed have been made by all of these groups. Examples include:
Providers
- Teaching Family (MH)
- Substance Abuse Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment - SBIRT (SA).
Educators and researchers
- Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (MH)
- Contingency Management (SA)
State officials have also requested reviews
- Seeking Safety (SA)
- Supported Employment (MH)
Consumer and family advocates
- DD Crisis and Medical Care (DD) leading to funding of large scale implementation program (START).
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What are the review criteria? |
Determinations are made based on the available evidence showing that the intervention leads to improved life outcomes for recipients. In other words, the decisions are evidence-based whenever possible.
As a result of evidence-based decision making, patients should receive care based on the best available scientific knowledge. Care should not vary illogically from clinician to clinician or place to place.”
- The Quality Chasm’s Ten Rules to Guide the Redesign of Health Care, IOM 2001.
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What are the steps for suggesting a practice for review? |
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The application form can be downloaded from the NC PIC website. |
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When are the NC PIC meetings? |
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Each of the disability subcommittees meets three times per year and practices are presented and reviewed at this time. The meeting dates for 2008/2009 have not been selected, but will occur in the following time periods: August/September 2008; November/December 2008 and April/May 2009. The NCPIC Congress, an event open to the wider community in addition to the three disability groups, will be held in January 2009. This meeting will feature programs and practices for services and supports for all three disabilities as well as reports on implementation pilots approved by the NCPIC in prior years. |
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NC Practice Improvement Collaborative |
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