Performance Improvement Collaborative Increases Chlamydia Screening Rates from 39% to 61% in New York State
Published:
Participation in the performance improvement collaborative allowed our providers to focus on implementing best practices. It was great to see how small changes could have a big impact on chlamydia screening rates.Rae Ann Augliera, MS, CHES, Director, Family Planning Program, New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) Bureau of Women, Infant and Adolescent Health
CDC recommends annual screening sexually active women under 25 for chlamydia. In the fall of 2018, 10 NYSDOH Family Planning Program sites participated in a performance improvement collaborative to implement best practice recommendations for chlamydia screening outlined in the Chlamydia Screening Change Package. The NYSDOH Family Planning Program funds 48 agencies to provide accessible, confidential reproductive health care services to clients at 166 sites.
During the collaborative, the median screening rate across the 10 sites increased from 39% to 61% among female clients ages 15-24. On average, each site increased their screening rate by 49%.
Median % Tested for Chlamydia, per month (n=10 sites)
Participating teams calculated their screening rates using client visit record data, reported data monthly, developed an improvement plan, and participated in monthly virtual discussions facilitated by the New York State Family Planning Training Center. Sites reported that the most impactful interventions included using "opt-out" language to offer chlamydia screening, ensuring accurate documentation and data collection, and integrating screening into all visits, not just annual visits.