Introduction
The Regional Quality Improvement (QI) Hub at The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences works in collaboration with Northwest Ohio's care providers and community members to create meaningful and lasting health improvements. Since launching, the Hub has grown from an initial pilot into a mature regional infrastructure spanning a growing network of partner clinics across Northwest Ohio combining hands-on QI coaching, shared data infrastructure, and patient-informed program design to help clinics achieve sustained blood pressure control.
Focus Areas
Our current focus is on controlling hypertension. High blood pressure is one of the top causes of heart disease and stroke, and it often affects people who already face challenges getting the care they need. We also help clinics connect patients with important resources like transportation, healthy food, and safe housing, since these play a big role in health too.
Our Impact
Since launching hypertension quality improvement work, participating clinics have achieved measurable, sustained gains in blood pressure control:
- Clinics in our first implementation wave improved overall blood pressure control from 66.8% to 75.8%, a 9.0 percentage point gain.
- Among Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Black patients at those same sites, control improved from 61.3% to 71.5%, a 10.2 percentage point gain, exceeding target.
- Clinics in our second wave improved overall control from 73.3% to 77.6%, a 4.3 percentage point gain.
These improvements are driven by standardized, high-reliability workflows, including two-step blood pressure measurement, structured follow-up protocols, and data-guided coaching, that clinics adopt and sustain with support from the Hub's QI coaches.
How We Work
To find what works best, we partner with our clinics to provide ongoing QI coaching and engage clinics in using the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) process. Clinics test new procedures, like double-checking blood pressure readings or scheduling timely follow-up appointments, and we analyze the results, promote the most effective strategies, and support their spread across our partner network. Clinics also share data through a secure electronic health record portal and join monthly collaborative sessions to discuss best practices and learn from one another's progress.
We also maintain an internally developed dashboard that gives clinics real-time visibility into their own performance, alongside system- and region-level trends, helping teams see not just whether they're improving, but what's driving the change.
Patient and Family Advisory Council
Our Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) brings the voice of patients directly into the Hub's work. PFAC members have co-developed blood pressure "empowerment cards," home monitoring guides, and self-management checklists, and have helped design outreach materials, including a Medicaid benefits and community resources guide connecting patients to transportation, nutrition support, and other services in Northwest Ohio.
The Council is actively expanding to include representation from new Wave 3 partner sites as the Hub grows.
Partnerships
The Hub collaborates with managed care organizations, community and public health agencies, and health systems across Northwest Ohio to connect clinical improvement work with the broader resources patients need. This includes structured engagement with Medicaid managed care partners and coordination with the Health Council of Northwest Ohio to expand access to services that address transportation, food insecurity, and other social barriers to care.
Our Team
Our Hub is made up of healthcare providers, quality improvement experts, researchers, patients, and community partners who all work together to make care better.
Dr. Christopher Cooper
UToledo QI Hub Lead
Dr. Linda Speer
UToledo QI Hub Lead
Dr. Sarah Aldrich Renner
Clinical Lead
Diane McCarthy
Senior Project Director
William Barnett
Quality Improvement & Patient Safety Officer
Umeeksha Sharma
QI Coach
Victoria Webb
Patient and Family Advisory Council Coordinator
