Enhancing Patient-Centered Care for Metabolic Screening and Engagement for Clients in a Rural Integrated Clinic

Abstract

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) affects approximately 34% to 40% of adults in the United States,leading to chronic diseases and an annual healthcare cost of $2,000 per person.Local Problem: Practice gaps in metabolic screening were identified at Early Healthcare. Among patients, only 30% underwent weight and blood pressure measurements, 18% received lipid panel lab work, and 2% had waist circumference measurements.Methods: This quality improvement initiative used four 2-week Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles. The approachintegrated various frameworks, such as the Institute of Medicine’s patient-centered care domain, to enhancemetabolic screening and patient engagement with shared decision-making (SDM). Data from process and outcome measures were analyzed every 2 weeks using summary tables and run charts to determine the next test of change.Interventions: Core interventions included screening MetS risk factors and patient engagement.Results: Effective care scores increased from 55% to 98% (8-week average: 78%). MetS screening rose from 64% to 97% (8-week average: 82%). SDM increased from 57% to 100% (8-week average: 76%). Team engagement improved from 1.3 to 4.7. Patient satisfaction scores increased from 3.3 to 4.4 (8-week average: 4). MetS detection rose from 3% to 24% (8-week average: 18%).Conclusions: The project’s success underscores the value of patient-centered care interventions in improvingpatient outcomes for MetS risk and fostering a patient-centric culture within the healthcare system.