National Quality Strategy 5-Year Anniversary Stakeholder Toolkit

Now Available: 5-Year Anniversary NQS Stakeholder Toolkit Available

National Quality Strategy Stakeholder Tool Kit

This toolkit can be used by organizations to showcase their alignment and support of the National Quality Strategy.

Five Years of Quality Improvement. National Quality Strategy: 2011-2016

Introduction
Five-Year Anniversary Graphic
Template Press Releases
Web Content Templates
Social Media Announcements
Graphics for Use on Your Organization's Web Site
Closing

Introduction

This toolkit can be used by your organization to showcase its alignment and support of the National Quality Strategy during the 5-year anniversary of the Strategy in 2016. While the official 5-year anniversary of the Strategy is in March, we encourage organizations to celebrate this anniversary and share their successes and progress starting in March and continuing through the fall of 2016.

How Can You Celebrate the 5-Year Anniversary of the National Quality Strategy?

Any of the five ideas below can be used as a starting point for celebrating the 5-year anniversary of the National Quality Strategy and for sharing how your organization aligns to the Strategy.

Use the contents of this stakeholder toolkit, including the National Quality Strategy 5-Year Anniversary graphic, and your own communications channels (e.g., newsletter, Web site, social media) to share how your organization has aligned to the NQS, with a focus on results
Attend an upcoming National Quality Strategy Webinar focused on the Strategy's 5-year anniversary to learn more about progress made in the last 5 years toward the three aims of better, more affordable care for individuals and the community. The Webinar will feature experts from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's 2015 Quality and Disparities Report, which offers data points to show progress toward the Strategy's six priorities. To sign up for updates about upcoming Webinars, visit: https://subscriptions.ahrq.gov/accounts/
USAHRQ/subscriber/new?topic_id=USAHRQ_136.
Use the official National Quality Strategy briefing slides in an upcoming presentation to talk to your organization's stakeholders about the Strategy.
Issue one of the press releases provided in this toolkit and/or contribute content for a local media platform about the importance of the National Quality Strategy to your organization.
Share or promote data, including results of a peer-reviewed study or Quality and Disparities Report State Snapshots data, illustrating how your organization's alignment to the National Quality Strategy has helped your organization make progress in improving health and health care quality.

The information included in this toolkit is approved for sharing and can be tailored for your organization's use. Additional "evergreen" shareable content, including National Quality Strategy graphics (logo, priority and lever icons), can be found in the National Quality Strategy Stakeholder Toolkit.

Let us know about your organization's 5-year anniversary activities by emailing NQStrategy@ahrq.hhs.gov.

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Five-Year Anniversary Graphic

Your organization can use this Web graphic to promote its adoption of and alignment to the National Quality Strategy. This 5-Year Anniversary Web graphic can be shared on Web sites, social media pages, and other promotional channels to illustrate your organization's commitment to improving health and health care quality for all Americans, and should link to the Working for Quality Web site.

This Web graphic can be downloaded from the Working for Quality Web site or requested by emailing NQStrategy@ahrq.hhs.gov.

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Template Press Releases

Your organization can use these press release templates to announce progress made to improve health and health care quality in alignment with the National Quality Strategy. This quality mprovement story should be supported by numbers and data that can be easily pulled by reporters, including local data, where possible.

Two sample press releases are also provided to help you get started.

Sample Press Release 1:

Contact:
Jane Doe
Director of Communications
ABC County Health Department
Email: JaneDoe@ABCcounty.com
Phone: (XXX) XXX-XXXX

Emergency Department Visits Reduced by Ten Percent in ABC County since 2012

ABC County Announces Progress Made to Improve Health Care Quality at Five Year Anniversary of the National Quality Strategy

ABC County, MO [March 31, 2016]---Over the past four years, emergency department visits in ABC County dropped by ten percent, leading to significant health care cost savings in the county, according to the ABC County Health Department. This announcement comes at the five-year anniversary of the National Quality Strategy, the first-ever national effort backed by legislation to align public- and private-sector stakeholders to achieve better health and health care for all Americans.

"At the five year anniversary of the National Quality Strategy, which helped us develop focus areas for the ABC County Health Department's quality strategy, we're proud to report a significant drop in costly emergency department visits in ABC County," said John Doe, Director of the ABC County Health Department. "Not only are patients receiving more appropriate care, they're receiving it in a lower-cost setting."

In 2012, ABC County Health Department implemented a program to help patients in the area identify a primary care provider, and understand the role of their primary care provider in their care. Since 2012, this program, Primary Care First, has worked with over 10,000 individuals in the community to encourage them to visit their primary care provider for non-emergency health needs, saving both the community and the patient money.

This program focuses on the National Quality Strategy priority of person- and family-centered care, to lead to better, more affordable care for the individual and the community.

"The Primary Care First program is a good first step towards more person-centered care in the county, ultimately leading to better health care quality. Several neighboring counties have adopted our successful approach, and we hope this leads to further emergency department visits across the state," said Lisa Smith, Director of the Primary Care First program.

About the ABC County Health Department

The ABC County Health Department serves 500,000 individuals in rural Missouri. The ABC County Health Department's quality strategy was developed in 2012, based on the six priorities of the National Quality Strategy.

About the National Quality Strategy

The National Quality Strategy, a national, not federal, effort was established to serve as a catalyst and compass for a nationwide focus on quality improvement efforts. The National Quality Strategy is the first-ever national effort backed by legislation to align public- and private-sector stakeholders to achieve better health and health care for all Americans. Five years after its release, the Strategy is fostering alignment across national, federal, state and privatesector stakeholders to improve health and health care quality for all Americans and improvement across health and health care quality measures. Stakeholders are working together in new and innovative ways to make the National Quality Strategy part of their day-to-day efforts to make health and health care better and more affordable for people and communities. The National Quality Strategy is backed by data from the National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report (QDR), an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality publication. The QDR reports on findings in health care quality, access to care, and health care disparities according to each of the six National Quality Strategy priorities that address the most common health concerns that Americans face. For more information, visit: http://www.ahrq.gov/workingforquality.

Sample Press Release 2:

Contact:
Jane Doe
Director of Communications
ABC County Health Department
Email: JaneDoe@ABCcounty.com
Phone: (XXX) XXX-XXXX

ABC County Celebrates Five Year Anniversary of National Quality Strategy

ABC County Health Department Recognizes Importance of National Strategy at the Local Level

ABC County, MO [March 15, 2016]---On the five-year anniversary of the National Quality Strategy, ABC County Health Department, an organization whose mission, to improve health and health care quality for those it serves, continues to support the Strategy as a catalyst and compass guiding a nationwide focus on quality improvement efforts and driving the health and health care system towards quality care for all Americans. The National Quality Strategy sets priorities for federal and state quality initiatives that touch millions of Americans. One of these priorities is person-centered care, a focus area for the ABC County Health Department's quality improvement programs.

"The National Quality Strategy's aims, priorities and levers helped us develop our county's quality strategy. Over the past five years, many of our county's successes, such as reducing emergency department visits by ten percent, can be attributed to our quality strategy," said John Doe, Director of the ABC County Health Department.

Five years after its release, the Strategy is fostering alignment across national, federal state and private-sector stakeholders and improving health and health care quality for all Americans and improvement across health and health care quality measures. Stakeholders are working together in new and innovative ways to make the National Quality Strategy part of their day-to-day efforts to make health and health care better and more affordable for people and communities. ABC County Health Department has adopted and aligned to the Strategy by developing a quality strategy focused on person-centered care, one of the six National Quality Strategy priorities that address the most common health concerns that Americans face. The successful Primary Care First program, which has worked with over 10,000 individuals in the community to encourage them to visit their primary care provider for non-emergency health needs, has saved both the community and the patient money.

About ABC Health Department

The ABC County Health Department Serves 500,000 individuals in rural Missouri. The ABC County Health Department's quality strategy was developed in 2012, based on the six priorities of the National Quality Strategy.

About the National Quality Strategy

The National Quality Strategy, a national, not federal, effort was established to serve as a catalyst and compass for a nationwide focus on quality improvement efforts. The National Quality Strategy is the first-ever national effort backed by legislation to align public- and private-sector stakeholders to achieve better health and health care for all Americans. Five years after its release, the Strategy is fostering alignment across national, federal, state, and private-sector stakeholders to improve health and health care quality for all Americans and improvement across health and health care quality measures. Stakeholders are working together in new and innovative ways to make the National Quality Strategy part of their day-to-day efforts to make health and health care better and more affordable for people and communities. The National Quality Strategy is backed by data from the National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report (QDR), an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality publication. The QDR reports on findings in health care quality, access to care, and health care disparities according to each of the six National Quality Strategy priorities that address the most common health concerns that Americans face. For more information, visit: http://www.ahrq.gov/workingforquality.

Template Press Release 1:

Headline: [Insert Health and Health Care Quality Improvement Announcement Here]

Subhead: [{XXX Organization} Announces Progress Made to Improve Health Care Quality at Five Year Anniversary of the National Quality Strategy]

[Location] [Date]---[Insert health and health care quality improvement announcement here], according to the [insert organization name]. [Insert additional details about the announcement including why this announcement is important, the impact on health, health care, quality improvement and/or cost in the local area, as well as any potential national impact.] This announcement comes at the five-year anniversary of the National Quality Strategy, the first-ever national effort backed by legislation to align public- and private-sector stakeholders to achieve better health and health care for all Americans.

[Quote from organization thought leader, partner, CEO, etc. note: ideally this quote could be used in a reporter's article. State an opinion or share the impact this health and health care quality improvement announcement will have-for patients, providers, or your organization's stakeholders, etc.]

[Information about your specific organization, and how you've aligned to the National Quality Strategy (e.g., by developing a quality strategy, aligning to a priority, using one of the nine levers)]

[Additional quote about the impact of this news/data/announcement] About [Your Organization]

Insert boilerplate information here.

About the National Quality Strategy

The National Quality Strategy, a national, not federal, effort was established to serve as a catalyst and compass for a nationwide focus on quality improvement efforts. The National Quality Strategy is the first-ever national effort backed by legislation to align public- and private-sector stakeholders to achieve better health and health care for all Americans. Five years after its release, the Strategy is fostering alignment across national, federal, state, and private-sector stakeholders to improve health and health care quality for all Americans and improvement across health and health care quality measures. Stakeholders are working together in new and innovative ways to make the National Quality Strategy part of their day-to-day efforts to make health and health care better and more affordable for people and communities. The National Quality Strategy is backed by data from the National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report (QDR), an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality publication. The QDR reports on findings in health care quality, access to care, and health care disparities according to each of the six National Quality Strategy priorities that address the most common health concerns that Americans face. For more information, visit: http://www.ahrq.gov/workingforquality.

Template Press Release 2:

Headline: [XXX Organization] Celebrates Five Year Anniversary of National Quality Strategy

Subhead: [{XXX Organization} Recognizes Importance of National Strategy at the Local Level]

[Location] [Date]---On the five-year anniversary of the National Quality Strategy, [XXX organization], an organization whose mission, [insert organizational mission that aligns with the National Quality Strategy here], continues to support the Strategy as a catalyst and compass guiding a nationwide focus on quality improvement efforts and driving the health and health care system towards quality care for all Americans. The National Quality Strategy sets priorities for federal and state quality initiatives that touch millions of Americans and have led to improved quality and cost savings, including [insert the language for the priority area that most closely fits with the organizational mission here].

[Quote from organization thought leader, partner, CEO about the importance of the National Quality Strategy]

Five years after its release, the Strategy is fostering alignment across national, federal, state and private-sector stakeholders and improving health and health care quality for all Americans and improvement across health and health care quality measures. Stakeholders are working together in new and innovative ways to make the National Quality Strategy part of their day-to-day efforts to make health and health care better and more affordable for people and communities. [XXX organization] has adopted and aligned to the Strategy by [insert organization-specific information here, including how your organization has aligned to the National Quality Strategy (e.g., by developing a quality strategy, aligning to a priority, using one of the nine levers, etc.)], leading to [insert notable organization data or progress].

[Additional quote from your organization]

About [Your Organization]

Insert boilerplate information here.

About the National Quality Strategy

The National Quality Strategy, a national, not federal, effort was established to serve as a catalyst and compass for a nationwide focus on quality improvement efforts. The National Quality Strategy is the first-ever national effort backed by legislation to align public- and private-sector stakeholders to achieve better health and health care for all Americans. Five years after its release, the Strategy is fostering alignment across national, federal, state, and private-sector stakeholders to improve health and health care quality for all Americans and improvement across health and health care quality measures. Stakeholders are working together in new and innovative ways to make the National Quality Strategy part of their day-to-day efforts to make health and health care better and more affordable for people and communities. The National Quality Strategy is backed by data from the National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report (QDR), an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality publication. The QDR reports on findings in health care quality, access to care, and health care disparities according to each of the six National Quality Strategy priorities that address the most common health concerns that Americans face. For more information, visit: http://www.ahrq.gov/workingforquality.

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Web Content Templates

Does your organization publish a newsletter, feature content on your Web site, or post blog entries? Use the following customizable content to highlight what your organization is doing to align to the National Quality Strategy on the fifth anniversary of its publication and your progress around the three aims. Alternatively, use the following story ideas to design a newsletter story for internal or external use, Web site content, or a blog post highlighting newsletter template to highlight how your organization has used the National Quality Strategy to guide its quality improvement efforts since the initial publication of the Strategy in March 2011.

Story Ideas

Describe how your organization aligns to one or more of the six National Quality Strategy priorities. List specific examples of which priorities you use and any associated results. Use the National Quality Strategy Priorities in Action (http://www.ahrq.gov/workingforquality/priorities.htm) as a guide if you need help getting started.
Explain how your organization is using one or more of the nine National Quality Strategy levers to align to the Strategy. (The XXX lever helped our organization achieve XXX result.)
Describe how your organization is celebrating the 5-year anniversary.

Newsletter/Blog Template

Subject line: On Its Five Year Anniversary, National Quality Strategy Continues to Guide Nationwide Quality Improvement Efforts

Since its initial publication in March 2011, the National Quality Strategy has served as a catalyst and compass for nationwide health and health care quality improvement efforts. The National Quality Strategy is an initiative led by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) on behalf of HHS. To learn more about the National Quality Strategy, go to http://www.ahrq.gov/workingforquality.

The Strategy is:

A Strategy for the Nation: The Strategy is the first-ever national effort backed by legislation to align public- and private-sector stakeholders to achieve better health and health care for all Americans. Five years after its release, the Strategy is fostering alignment across national, Federal, State, and private-sector stakeholders to improve health and health care quality for all Americans and improvement across health and health care quality measures.
A Catalyst for Quality Improvement: Five years after its release, the Strategy is fostering alignment across national, Federal, State, and private-sector stakeholders to improve health and health care quality for all Americans and improvement across health and health care quality measures.
Centered Around Health and Health Care Priorities that Impact Most Americans: The Strategy sets priorities for Federal and State quality initiatives that touch millions of Americans and have led to improved quality and cost savings, and provided a common language for the Nation to talk about health care quality and progress made in this area. Progress on the National Quality Strategy priorities is backed by data from the National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report (QDR), an AHRQ publication. The QDR reports on findings in health care quality, access to care, and health care disparities according to each of the six National Quality Strategy priorities.

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Social Media Announcements

Does your organization use Facebook or Twitter to connect with stakeholders?

The following messages with shortened URLs that link to National Quality Strategy content serve as easy-to-use content on your social media properties.

Facebook

Use a shortened version of the National Quality Strategy press release templates or newsletter announcements, tailored to announce your organization's alignment to the Strategy and quality improvement efforts. Use the shareable National Quality Strategy Five Year Anniversary graphic and link your post to the National Quality Strategy Web site to highlight your organization's alignment to the Strategy.

Alternatively, post a picture of a National Quality Strategy priority or lever icon (email NQStrategy@ahrq.hhs.gov to request these graphics) that your organization uses and include a caption to explain how your organization implements the Strategy's priorities and/or levers to improve health and health care quality. Share the story of how priorities and/or levers guided your organization on its path to National Quality Strategy alignment in the past 5 years.

Twitter

Tag your tweets by using the designated National Quality Strategy hashtag: #QualityStrategy

Learn about aims of Nat'l #QualityStrategy, 1st national effort to improve health & health care, on 5th anniversary:http://www.ahrq.gov/workingforquality/about.htm
Read how the Nat'l #QualityStrategy has promoted better, more affordable care, healthy people since 2011http://www.ahrq.gov/workingforquality/nqs/nqsfactsheet.htm
Read about how HHS Agencies have aligned to the National #QualityStrategy since its publication in March 2011http://www.ahrq.gov/workingforquality/reports.htm
Learn about organizations using 6 Nat'l #Quality Strategy priorities to guide quality improvement efforts:http://www.ahrq.gov/workingforquality/priorities.htm
5 year anniversary of Nat'l #QualityStrategy: read about progress in the priority areas http://nhqrnet.ahrq.gov/inhqrdr/

Example Tweets to be Tailored For Your Messaging

(XXX organization) is using the Nat'l #QualityStrategy XXX (insert priority or lever here) to improve health quality
Read new (XXX newsletter/listserv) highlighting our work at (XXX organization) to align to Nat'l #QualityStrategy in last 5 years
Check out the (XXX organization) site to read about our use of Nat'l #QualityStrategy (XXX Lever or Priority in Action) to deliver quality care in last 5 yrs!
We're proud to align to the Natl #QualityStrategy on its 5th anniversary(Insert link here)
(XXX Organization) quality improvement efforts in last five years guided by Nat'l #QualityStrategy levershttp://www.ahrq.gov/workingforquality/reports/nqsleverfactsheet.htm

Graphics for Use On Your Organization's Web Site

Pair the National Quality Strategy logo and related artwork, with a link to the Working for Quality Web site (www.ahrq.gov/workingforquality) on your Web site or other marketing materials. These graphics can be downloaded from the Working for Quality Web site or requested by emailing NQStrategy@ahrq.hhs.gov.