The opioid crisis touches all sectors of America’s patient population — especially underserved patients like agricultural workers in rural areas. In Washington and Idaho, six rural health clinics representing over 20 sites are working to ensure their policies, workflow, and clinical visits are aligned and implemented to address the crisis that has swept the nation.

Little attention has been paid to quality improvement (QI) capacity within smaller primary care practices which comprise nearly half of all primary care settings. Strategies for external support to build such capacity include practice facilitation (PF), shared learning opportunities, and educational outreach. Although PF has proven effectiveness, little is known about the comparative effectiveness of combining these strategies.

In August, the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative (PCPCC) announced the recipients of its 2016 advanced primary care leadership awards. MacColl Founder and Emeritus Director Ed Wagner MD, MPH was selected by the PCPCC to receive its Primary Care Community/Research Leadership Award for "his outstanding dedication to developing and disseminating health care innovations designed to transform the way care is delivered."