CONTEXT

A recommended strategy for improving patient safety is patient-centered care, with the patient and provider functioning as partners to achieve health care goals.

OBJECTIVE

To implement a community-based advisory council where patients and providers can collaboratively develop interventions for safe medication use in the outpatient setting.

DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS: A descriptive study of the process used to implement a patient-provider advisory council in Walworth County, Wisconsin in 2005-2006. Participants included patients and health care professionals from Aurora Health Care and the community. Using formative research and community-based participatory programs, the Council developed medication safety interventions.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Establishment of a community-based patient-provider council; development of interventions to improve medication safety in the outpatient setting.

RESULTS

The Walworth County Patient Safety Council was established in November 2005, with 11 patient and 12 provider representatives. The Council identified and developed multiple interventions for patients and health care providers.

CONCLUSIONS

A community-based advisory council is an effective partnership model where patients, providers, and their community can collaboratively develop strategies for improving medication safety. As interventions are disseminated in Walworth County, their effectiveness on medication safety outcomes will be evaluated.