Join the Learning Collaborative

AHRQ’s Management of Opioid Use and Misuse in Older Adults initiative is recruiting a diverse set of practices to participate in a learning collaborative. The goal of the learning collaborative is to support the implementation of high-leverage change strategies to improve the management of chronic pain, opioid use, and opioid misuse among older adults in primary care. The learning collaborative is scheduled to start in December 2021 and will run for 15 months.

What will your practice gain by participating in the learning collaborative?

1. Customized support and resources from national experts in selecting and implementing strategies to improve management of chronic pain, opioid use, and opioid misuse in older adults.
2. Improved knowledge of the current evidence base and high-level change strategies related to the management of chronic pain, opioid use, and opioid misuse; an introductory webinar to orient participating organizations to the goals and activities of the program; monthly peer learning sessions and support from the project team between sessions; a community website for document sharing, threaded discussions, and other collaborative tools; a dedicated email address [Opioids_OlderAdults@abtassoc.com] to which participating clinicians can send questions or request support from the project team.
3. A $1,500 honorarium per participating practice (not to exceed $6,000 per organization, if it is comprised of multiple clinics).
4. The foundation to continue best practices in opioid management and improve outcomes for older adult patients following participation in the learning collaborative.
5. Opportunity to inform the final development of a resource, Strategies for Management of Opioid Use and Misuse in Older Adults in Primary Care Practices, which will be disseminated broadly to primary care practices and clinicians at the conclusion of the project.

What are we asking of your practice?

1. Identify a clinic champion to serve as the quality improvement (QI) lead for the duration of the learning collaborative. The QI lead will provide engaged leadership and active participation throughout the project. Learning Collaborative recruitment language for the Academy website
2. Select and implement suggested or self-determined innovative activities to achieve a minimum of three high-leverage change strategies to address one or more identified needs across the continuum of opioid prevention, management, and treatment among older adult patients.
3. Engage in monthly learning sessions and calls to review the key performance indicators and discuss both system and clinical issues. Monthly communications will include:
   • Check-in calls between the QI lead and liaisons from the project team.
   • Group calls for the QI leads from all practices to provide progress updates, share insights/lessons learned, discuss challenges/issues, and hold one another accountable.
   • Practice team monthly webinars facilitated by experts focused on clinical topics.
4. Collect and report data on key performance indicators to the project team in the format requested on a quarterly basis.
5. Participate in other monitoring and evaluation activities led by the project team. For example:
   • A brief web-based survey for clinical staff at the start and the conclusion of the learning collaborative (honoraria will be provided to clinical staff who complete the survey).
   • Interviews with up to three staff at each practice participating in the learning collaborative(honoraria will be provided to clinical staff who complete the interview).
6. Provide practice documents that are relevant to the project and compiled as part of routine business practice. Examples of practice documents include (but are not limited to):
   • A copy of newly recommended policy and procedures for caring for older adults.
   • Meeting notes from kickoff with clinicians on how they are going to improve care and how they are going to implement these strategies.
   • Revised treatment agreements tailored to older adults (i.e., pain contract).
   • New patient education materials for older adults and/or their caregivers.
   • New or innovative team-based workflows.
   • New or innovative screening assessments for older adults.
   • New or innovative approaches to provider support.

If you are interested in learning more or would like to participate in this learning collaborative, please contact the project team at Opioids_OlderAdults@abtassoc.com.