Article CommentaryA

Measuring Outcomes: Lessons From the World of Public Education

Michael Johansen
The Annals of Family Medicine January 2017, 15 (1) iii; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.1999

The Annals of Family Medicine encourages readers to develop a learning community of those seeking to improve health care and health through enhanced primary care. You can participate by conducting a RADICAL journal club and sharing the results of your discussions in the Annals online discussion for the featured articles. RADICAL is an acronym for Read, Ask, Discuss, Inquire, Collaborate, Act, and Learn. The word radical also indicates the need to engage diverse participants in thinking critically about important issues affecting primary care and then acting on those discussions.1

HOW IT WORKS

In each issue, the Annals selects an article or articles and provides discussion tips and questions. We encourage you to take a RADICAL approach to these materials and to post a summary of your conversation in our online discussion. (Open the article online and click on “TRACK Comments: Submit a response.”) You can find discussion questions and more information online at: http://www.AnnFamMed.org/AJC/.

CURRENT SELECTION

Article for Discussion

Saultz A, Saultz JW. Measuing outcomes: lessons from the world of public education. Ann Fam Med. 2017; 15( 1): 71– 76.OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text

Discussion Tips

Journal clubs are traditionally based on original research that focuses on diagnosis or treatment of a particular condition. The medical literature, however, has important articles and lessons that do not fit this mold. The special report by Saultz and Saultz investigates measurement and quality in the public education system and the relation to the health care system.

Discussion Questions

  • What is the main point of this special report and why does it matter?

  • Do you see cross-disciplinary learning as an important component of medical practice and/or medical research?

  • The authors advocate for physicians to participate in “debates about the future of public education in their own communities.”

    • ○ Do you see this as a role you should take on?

    • ○ Do you feel prepared for this type of role?

    • ○ What would you advocate for in this role?

  • Do you see quality improvement and/or measurement as an important component of medical practice?

  • What are the positives and negatives of quality improvement and measurement in medical practice?2–4

  • Do you think the parallel from the education system provides insight into measurement within the health care system?

  • What do you see as critical components to measurement/quality in your practice? Cite examples.

  • What opportunities do you see for teachers and primary care clinicians to work together on common advocacy (for those on the frontlines of caring for children and patients)?

  • How could this special report be used to change practice? Policy? Education? Research?

  • Do you see researchable or actionable questions that arise from this article?

References

  1. ↵
    1. Stange KC,
    2. Miller WL,
    3. McLellan LA,
    4. et al
    . Annals Journal Club: It’s time to get RADICAL. Ann Fam Med. 2006;4(3):196–197. http://annfammed.org/cgi/content/full/4/3/196.
    OpenUrlFREE Full Text
  2. ↵
    1. Campbell SM,
    2. Reeves D,
    3. Kontopantelis E,
    4. Sibbald B,
    5. Roland M
    . Effects of pay for performance on the quality of primary care in England. N Engl J Med. 2009;361(4):368–378.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
    1. Berwick DM
    . Era 3 for medicine and health care. JAMA. 2016;315 (13):1329–1330.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  4. ↵
    1. Kerr EA,
    2. Hayward RA
    . Patient-centered performance management: enhancing value for patients and health care systems. JAMA. 2013;310(2):137–138.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
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