Three years ago, I had the opportunity to work with Carolyn Humphrey and the HHN Editorial Board to prepare the award-winning April 2000 Special Focus Issue on OASIS and OBQI. Apparently my passion for the topics overshadowed my non-existent editorial experience when asked to serve as Guest Editor for a special OBQI-focused issue.
As we set out to develop the content outline, the topics to be addressed seemed obvious. We referred to the standard menu of OBQI-related questions: "What is OBQI?" "How do I do it?" "Do I have to do it?" "What will happen if I don't do it?" "Should I want to do it?" "Where can I find help?"and "Will it work?" Everyone seemed to be starving for clarification and direction.
After identifying the content areas, we compiled an author "wish list." What happened next was something to behold! I was overwhelmed with the interest and willingness of so many to contribute to this endeavor.
The manuscripts were amazing, and because concerns like page counts were foreign terms to me, every manuscript draft was dotted with my notes "...and what about this?" "...can you add that?" and "...you know what else would be really cool here?" Suddenly, the single OBQI issue turned into material enough for two issues-each packed with all the information, resources, and tools that could fit. Appreciating that OBQI must be clearly understood because the impact it has on agencies and clinicians is significant, Carolyn decided to devote the August and September issues to this important subject.
As we sit down at the OBQI table this month for the first course, Angela Richard, from the Center for Health Services Research in Denver, CO, offers us a timely listing of references and resources addressing all areas of OASIS and OBQI. Chandra Branham, from CMS, provides concise answers to relevant frequently asked OBQI questions.
For those still lingering at the "I-still-don't-like-OASIS-enough-to-move-to-OBQI gate," Alan Wright, from Home Health Gold, offers a valuable personal perspective on the dire need for home care clinicians and organizations to embrace the opportunities that OBQI can provide in "Why I Would Rather Do OBQI Than Lie on a Beach!"
The keystone of the two OBQI issues is the series titled "A Basic and Practical Overview of the Six Steps of Outcome-Based Quality Improvement" These six articles (four in this issue, two in September), correspond to the six steps of OBQI. For each step, information addressing both the basic technical aspects as well as practical help in applying the processes is presented. The basic foundational content is clearly presented by Mary Nayaran and Mary Cox, from the Iowa Foundation for Medical Care, and Kathy Crisler and Angela Richard, both from the Center for Health Services Research.
In the practical application sections, seasoned home care veterans Mary Narayan, Michelle Garner, and Karen Utterback allow us to learn from their OBQI experiences. Additionally, Kathleen Murdock, from the Delmarva Foundation for Medical Care, shares the rewards and struggles experienced by OBQI Pilot Project participants. We then end with Doris Mosocco sharing her agency's OBQI experience.
After feasting on this valuable OBQI spread, remember to save room for next month's issue!