In 14 communities throughout the country, Aligning Forces for Quality seeks to lift the quality of health and health care by teaming up with those who get care, give care and pay for care. Explore what our communities are doing to improve health care quality.
Seattle, Washington
Seattle loves ... coffee, wild salmon and good health!
Leadership Team: The Puget Sound Health Alliance
Web site: www.pugetsoundhealthalliance.org
Report Web site: www.WACommunityCheckup.org
Phone: (206) 448-2570
Fax: (206) 448-2572
Program contact: Diane Giese
Phone: (206) 448-2570, ext. 117
E-mail: diane@pugetsoundhealthalliance.org
The Puget Sound Health Alliance (the Alliance) leads the Aligning Forces for Quality (AF4Q) initiative in Seattle. The Alliance, an independent nonprofit, nonpartisan organization founded in December 2004, is a regional partnership that combines the expertise of private and public employers, physicians, hospitals, consumers, health plans and other stakeholders. The Alliance covers the five counties that comprise the Puget Sound region: King, Kitsap, Pierce, Snohomish and Thurston. More than 50 consumers and 160 organizations have joined the Alliance thus far. The mission of the collaborative organization is to build a strong leadership network among these partners to promote health and high-quality health care.
The Alliance focuses on improving quality, affordability and efficiency while reducing the rate of health care cost increases caused by overuse, underuse and misuse of health care services. Its AF4Q work includes developing and promoting quality improvement strategies that provide key stakeholders with action steps for targeted clinical areas, in addition to providing resources and tools to enhance quality improvement efforts. The Alliance is also active in the consumer engagement arena, with activities including promoting health risk assessments and improving health literacy. In January 2008, the Alliance released its first public report on regional health care quality and expects to publish updated and expanded "Community Checkup" reports semiannually.
Aligning Forces for Quality communities
Our areas of focus
Aligning Forces for Quality applies a wealth of resources, expertise and training to effect real results in health care quality. Take a closer look at the focuses of our work:
Hear what colleagues and health care experts around the country, including Craig Brammer, Diane Giese and Marshall Chin, have learned about improving health care quality and reducing racial and ethnic disparities in care.