Massachusetts Health Quality Partners (MHQP) and Consumers Reports collaborated to provide Massachusetts consumers with reliable and useful information about primary care physicians. Together, MHQP and Consumer Reports released patient experience ratings of nearly 500 primary care physician practices in Massachusetts, including 329 adult practices and 158 pediatric practices. The report promotes patient engagement, encouraging consumers and creating opportunities for them to become more involved in their health care.

At first, staff at Carson City Hospital in Michigan were incredulous when quality department staff told them their scores on compliance with ideal care measures were lower than the standard the 77-bed acute care hospital had set.

“Our nurses didn’t really understand what core measures were really, really all about, or what it takes to actually get in compliance with those measures,” said Joan Sweet, vice president and chief quality/risk officer at Carson City Hospital.

Successful multi-stakeholder alliances take many shapes and sizes. In AF4Q, these groups include those who receive care, provide care, and pay for care. The Healthy Memphis Common Table (HMCT)—the Aligning Forces for Quality grantee in Memphis, TN—expanded its alliance to include grocery stores as community partners. At first, this may not seem germane to health care quality and equity—a focal point of HMCT’s work—but closer inspection reveals its potential impact on food deserts is extreme.