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.
Western Michigan
Western Michigan loves ... its Great Lake, the great outdoors and great health!
Leadership Team: Alliance for Health
Web site: www.afh.org
Phone: (616) 248-3820
Fax: (616) 248- 9170
Program contact: Bob Parrish
Phone: (313) 492-6370
E-mail: Parrish53@aol.com
The Aligning Forces for Quality (AF4Q) initiative in Western Michigan is led by The Alliance for Health (the Alliance), a 60-year-old 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership corporation operating as a broad-based community health coalition. The Alliance represents those who receive care, give care and pay for care, including providers, citizens and employers. Its mission is to ensure that all people in Western Michigan have the highest-quality, most equitable and affordable health care services available.
The AF4Q work of the Alliance focuses on influencing, inspiring and motivating consumers to become more active partners in their health care. The initiative aims to increase consumers’ understanding of what high-quality health care is—in general and within the context of diabetes, the Alliance’s first focus area—and to engage diabetes patients in evidence-based self-management activities to improve health and minimize the negative effects of the disease. This activity is complemented by measuring the performance of area caregivers, publicly reporting the performance measurements and developing the West Michigan Center for Quality Improvement to serve the region.
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.