Research-Practice Link

The Clalit Research Institute mines and interprets the Clalit clinical database to create tools that are introduced into policy and medical practice. These interventions tackle key health issues and are evaluated for effectiveness and to improve the quality of care.

Integrated data allows for innovative patient selection approaches, in-depth program planning, strategic clinical implementation support, and real-time monitoring of intervention outcomes thus facilitating multi-level effective intervention management.

This feedback loop of needs assessment, tool development, implementation and evaluation is possible given that the Clalit Research Institute is embedded and integrated into the Clalit provider organization.

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Needs assessment

In collaboration with clinicians and managers in the field, the Clalit Research Institute assesses disease occurrence and clinical needs to identify areas of impact that can improve the delivery of appropriate care and services to the members of Clalit.

 Data-driven tools

With the availability of a comprehensive clinical database, the Clalit Research Institute uses advanced analytics and predictive modeling to develop tools that identify patients at highest risk for developing a disease who might otherwise fall below the radar of their providers.

Implementation

After validation, the Clalit Research Institute collaborates with Clalit managers to implement risk identification tools into clinical practice. These models are used to flag patients for preventive outreach or clinical interventions to positively and measurably impact health outcomes.

Evaluation

Real-world evaluation of the effectiveness of interventions or treatments in clinical practice is incorporated into ongoing quality improvement and efforts to transform the provision of care.

Example: Childhood asthma trends and prevention

Needs determination → We assessed the extent of the “September Epidemic” of asthma exacerbations in children.

Data-driven tools → We identified patients at “high-risk” for asthma exacerbations, who had not been purchasing their preventive medication.

Implementation → Through multiple avenues (physicians, nurses, parents, general media) we conducted intensive outreach encouraging patients to be seen by their primary care physician during the summer to consider preventive medication.

Assessment → Following the intervention, we determined which subgroups were most likely to have benefitted from the intervention.