When it comes to health care, patients have more power than they think. At the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, we not only believe in the power of patients, but in the power of health care professionals to deliver far better care than patients receive now. We need an end to miscommunication, mistakes, and inequity. And we need it now. Our Aligning Forces for Quality initiative brings an unprecedented commitment of resources, expertise and training to turn promising practices into real results on the ground. By teaming up those who get care, give care and pay for care, we can deliver lasting change across entire communities. It's a local issue. It's a national issue. It's everyone's issue.

The premise of Aligning Forces is that no single person, group or profession can improve health and health care throughout a community without the support of others. Aligning Forces for Quality seeks to drive quality improvement by aligning key players in local communities. Through these communities, providers can improve their own ability to deliver quality care as well as measure and publicly report their performance and patients and consumers can understand their vital role in recognizing and demanding high-quality care. Through work in the following communities, we seek to transform health care throughout our country.