The National Quality Forum has selected and endorsed 45 practices to reduce disparities in health care and to help health care systems provide culturally appropriate and patient-centered care. These voluntary practices were chosen by the National Quality Forum on the basis of published studies and general consensus and because they benefit patients, improve outcomes, apply across clinical care settings, and are ready to implement in the health care setting. The practices include patient-centered and culturally appropriate approaches to leadership, care delivery, workforce training, communication, data collection, and community engagement. For more information, visit www.qualityforum.org/news/releases/02232009.asp.
The Agency for Health-care Research and Quality has launched an new educational Web site, the Clinician-Consumer Health Advisory Information Network, available at www.chainonline.org. This Web site links clinicians and consumers with information on therapeutics to assist in clinical practice and decision making. The site includes clinical topics (eg, the management of blood clot prevention),...