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Research, Evaluation and Innovation
Research, Evaluation and Innovation at ACCESS is focused on gaining a fundamental understanding of the strengths and assets of our communities, our patients, and the impact that ACCESS has on our patients’ well-being, as a whole.
Our studies and evaluations seek to answer two main questions:
- How do we build and sustain health in our communities?
- How can we create a system (both internally and externally) that supports equity, reduces disparities and promotes sustainable self-care?
We prioritize raising the voice of our patients, communities, and practices when designing and conducting studies. Our embedded team applies the rigor of scientific methods to data collection and analysis, and then shares our learnings and recommendations so decision makers and others can improve the effectiveness of services for patients and communities.
Publications and Resources
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Having sustained a universal Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) program to address substance use across 35 Chicago area health centers since 2015, Access Community Health Network (ACCESS) identified several implementation challenges. With five-year grant support from Substance Use and Mental Health Adminitration (SAMHSA), ACCESS embedded a Community Health Specialist (CHS) at pilot locations to support screenings, conduct brief interventions, and facilitate referrals to integrated behavioral health and other services. Evaluation results indicate positive impacts in the FQHC setting.
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Authored by: Natalie Shaffer, MBA, Guhan Iyer, MPH, Danielle Lazar, DrPH
In April 2024, Access Community Health Network (ACCESS) hosted Hypertension-Palooza: Community-Based Collaborations to Address Blood Pressure Control, a two-day event with a professional symposium and community event surrounding hypertension prevention, treatment, and education, with a focus on addressing the social determinants of health that impact the outcomes of Black and Brown communities. Highlights of the first day included a report out on the results of the QUARTET USA clinical trial which marks a nearly eight-year collaboration between ACCESS and its partners, including Northwestern University, University of Sydney, and Washington University in St. Louis. ACCESS’ Self-Monitored Blood Pressure Program – a community-based, hands-on approach to blood pressure management with the help of a Health Center RN was also featured. Partners from across the city of Chicago presented on their community-based research projects, and presenters called upon the professionals in the room to embrace the community within the research process to help close the gap between community and academia and move the needle on addressing health disparities. On Day Two, community members visited the ACCESS Center for Discovery and Learning to learn more about nutrition, physical activity, and proper blood pressure measurement to help improve their heart health. The day concluded with dance lessons and a celebration of the promise that true collaboration to address health holds now and into the future.
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Authored by: Jairo Mejia, M.D., Danielle Lazar, DrPH, Fallon M. Flowers, M.S.N., R.N., Hiba Abbasi, D.N.P., R.N., and Adriana Quintana
ACCESS collaborated with Northwestern University and Washington University St. Louis in a convergent parallel-design mixed-methods process evaluation of the QUARTET USA (Quadruple Ultra-Low-Dose Treatment for Hypertension USA) clinical trial. This evaluation explores patient and health care professional perceptions about the use of low-dose quadruple therapy (LDQT) as a novel strategy for hypertension management. Hypertension disproportionately affects the populations FQHCs serve, and it was important to ACCESS and our partners to understand how this kind of treatment makes an impact on hypertension management within a community health care setting.
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Authored by: Anne Zhao, M.P.H., Anh Reiland, A.P.N., M.B.A., and Danielle Lazar, DrPH
In 2015, Access Community Health Network (ACCESS) formally adopted PCMH as its framework for care delivery to support its valuebased care model. While components of PCMH had already been part of ACCESS’ care delivery, implementation of the complete PCMH framework allowed ACCESS to focus on full integration in key areas. Of particular importance was ACCESS’ care coordination model, which has evolved in a number of different ways through various projects.
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Authored by: Jonathan L. Blitstein, Danielle Lazar, Kathleen Gregory, Colleen McLoughlin, Linda Rosul, Caroline Rains, Talya Hellman, Chelsey Leruth, and Jairo Mejia
Staff examined a clinic-based approach to improve food security and glycemic control among patients with diabetes. Providing nutrition education and food assistance improved HbA1c profiles among food secure and food insecure participants, but food insecure participants may face social and structural challenges that require additional support from health care teams.
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Authored by: Sankirtana Danner, Salma Saavedra, Fallon Flowers, Alema Jackson, Janell Ross, Hiba Abbas, Elizabeth Adetoro, Abbey Ekong, Cassandra Osei, Nicolás Francone, Jonathan Alhalel, Lisa Masinter, Danielle Lazar, Melissa Simon
Date: June 2022
To address this longstanding issue of distrust of the medical system, specifically in the maternal health space, a collaborative partnership between Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine’s Center for Health Equity Transformation, Access Community Health Network (ACCESS), and AllianceChicago, was created to implement an innovative intervention aimed at improving perinatal care for Black/AA pregnant individuals through a project called “OPTIMIZE.” At the core of the intervention is the implementation of trust building conversations between clinicians and patients.
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Authored by: ACCESS IHH Steering Committee: Access Community Health Network, Catholic Charities, Gateway Foundation, Sinai Health System, and Trilogy Behavioral Healthcare.
Date: September 2020
In 2017, ACCESS embarked on a two-year journey to pilot an Integrated Health Home (IHH) model within its system of 35 health centers. The IHH seeks to overcome the challenges of a fragmented service delivery system. It addresses the needs of patients with complex needs (social, behavioral and medical) through a full integration and sharing of information and care between the medical provider, behavioral health provider and a suite of social services to support the patient. This paper describes this model, discusses how the model functioned and shares key learnings and recommendations for moving forward. The goal is to share best practices and challenges for those who seek to implement a similar model.
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Authors: Danielle Lazar, AM
Date: April 2019
Resource PDFThis Spring, representatives from health care, food and nutrition, public health, and community-based nonprofit organizations across Chicago-Cook County, Ill. gathered at the ACCESS Center for Discovery and Learning to begin a solutions-oriented dialogue about improving food insecurity. The Summit was a result of work initiated by multiple organizations and researchers, including Access Community Health Network (ACCESS), the Illinois Public Health Institute – Alliance for Health Equity, the University of Illinois Chicago and the Greater Chicago Food Depository – to coordinate a larger dialogue addressing coordinated solutions to impact food insecurity and health in the Chicago metropolitan area. Of critical importance was sharing of results of pilots and studies that had been undertaken and that could be used to fuel the next stage of innovation.
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Authors: Danielle Lazar, AM
Date: May 2018
Resource PDF
In December 2017, nearly 50 experts, innovators and providers gathered at the ACCESS Center for Discovery and Learning to exchange ideas and practices for incorporating shared decision making into patient care. ACCESS’ innovative approach to incorporating shared decision making as a system wide practice is highlighted as well as key takeaways from the two-year collaboration between ACCESS, Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice and the American Institutes for Research. ACCESS has provided training on the approach to all providers, including providing 70 plus providers with 1:1 coaching on shared decision making. As of November 2017, the use of shared decision making was documented more than 20,000 in ACCESS’ electronic health record. Keynote and panelists included: Gregory Makoul, PhD, MS; Danielle Lazar, AM; Glyn Elwyn, MD; Jairo Mejia, MD; Colleen McLoughlin, MPH; Mark Stolspart, ANP. -
Authors: Heriberto “Eddie” Cruz, MBA, FACHE; Janie Gawrys, MS, RN, CPHQ; Donna Thompson, MS,RN; Jairo Mejia, MD; Linda Rosul, BA; Danielle Lazar, AM
Date: July-September 2018
Journal: Journal of Ambulatory Care Management, Volume 41, Number 3, pp. 225-237
Publication Link
In 2012, Access Community Health Network, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) network with 36 health centers serving the greater Chicago area, embarked on a 3-year initiative to improve patient access. “Dramatic Performance Improvement” (DPITM) included the adoption of modified open access scheduling and practice changes designed to improve capacity and the ability to balance supply and demand. This article describes DPITM implementation, strategies, and associated outcomes, including a 20% decrease in no-show rate, a 33% drop in time to the third next available appointment (TNAA), a 37% decrease in cycle time, and a 13% increase in patient satisfaction. (Journal of Ambulatory Care Management, Volume 41, Number 3, pp. 225-237) -
Authors: Danielle Lazar, AM; Kathleen Gregory, MBA; Jonathan Blitstein, PhD
Date: April 23, 2018
Resource Link
Access Community Health Network (ACCESS) has incorporated screening for food insecurity throughout its network of federally qualified health centers. In this webinar, sponsored by ACCESS, N2-PBRN and the Clinical Directors Network, Inc.(CDN), ACCESS’ approach to food insecurity is described as well as the key learnings from initiating a system wide evaluation of the food insecurity program and its impact on diabetes. The webinar describes the practice innovation to address food insecurity within a community health network, the methodology and process for developing systems for evaluation within community health systems and shares lessons as to what it takes to build a culture of research and evaluation within a community health network. ACCESS has recruited nearly 1,000 patients to participate in the evaluation study, which will be completed in January 2019 and is funded by the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation. -
Authors: Timika Anderson-Reeves, Jacqueline Goodman, Brian Bragg, Chelsey Leruth
Date: November 22, 2017
Journal: Maternal and Child Health Journal (2017) 21 (Suppl 1): S75-S80
Publication Link
ACCESS and partners in Westside Healthy Start developed a house party model as a community based workshop approach to health education. Key elements included use of community health workers as facilitators, multiple collaborations across community based organizations, referrals to local services and interactive activities that encouraged ongoing engagement in education. The article describes the intervention and results. Evaluation showed improvement by participants in knowledge for several areas important to maternal and child health including causes or signs of preterm labor (50 percent were able to identify causes prior to the house parties and 80 percent after). The authors conclude that house parties are a promising intervention for increasing knowledge in hard-to-reach populations and about resources in the community. -
Authors: Chelsey Leruth, Jacqueline Goodman, Brian Bragg, Dara Gray
Date: November 22, 2017
Journal: Maternal and Child Health Journal (2017) 21 (Suppl 1): S4-S10
Publication LinkWestside Healthy Start, a collaborative led by Access Community Health Network, to improve maternal and child health outcomes on the Westside of Chicago, developed a multilevel approach to breastfeeding promotion that targeted low-income and African-American women who typically have lower breast feeding initiation rates, despite the benefits of breastfeeding. Key elements included individual education and counseling from pregnancy to 6 months postpartum and partnership with a local safety net hospital. Results showed that in the year the model was implemented, 44.6 percent of prenatal patients planned to breastfeed and 67 percent of delivered participants initiated breastfeeding. At 6 moths, 10.5 percent were still breastfeeding. The article discusses the initiative as a promising intervention to improve breastfeeding initiation, with recommendations for additional evaluation to understand barriers to continuing breastfeeding past 6 months.
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Authors: Stephen D Persell, MD, MPH; Elisha M Friesma, CCRP; Milton “Mickey” Eder, PhD; Corinne Connor, RN, BSN,CIC; Alfred Rademaker, PhD; Dustin French, PhD; Jennifer King, MPH; Michael Wolf, MA, MPH, PhD
Date: October 24, 2013
Journal: Journal of the American Heart Association 2(5):
Publication Link
Access Community Health Network (ACCESS) and Northwestern University conducted a three-arm randomized clinical trial (Northwestern and Access Community Health Network Medication Education Study or NAMES) to compare the incorporation of nurse-led medication therapy management and electronic-health record tools to the use of electronic-health record tools for medication management alone or usual care. EHR tools included printed medication list to prompt review of medications at each visit as well as printing of medication information in the after visit summary to encourage proper medication use. The nurse-led intervention included one-on-one counseling by a registered nurse about medication regimens including reviewing concerns about medication, clarifying how to take medication and overall adherence. The study was designed to understand the impact of these different medication management interventions on patients with uncontrolled hypertension, with a primary outcome of systolic blood pressure after 1 year. This article describes the rationale and design of the study, which was completed in early 2017. NCT: NCT01578577 -
Authors: Milton “Mickey” Eder, PhD; Charles Firke
Date: Spring 2015
Journal: Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education and Action, Volume 9, Issue 1, Spring 2015, pp. 129-134
Publication Link
ACCESS’ Stand Against Cancer (SAC) program addressed breast and cervical cancer disparities by making free cancer screening accessible to uninsured women and connecting them to nurse case management in case of abnormal screening results. This article describes the results of an evaluation of ACCESS’ SAC program. Results showed that over 5 years, more than 10,000 women received SAC supported screening at ACCESS and 90 percent of women with abnormal results received results through nurse case management and were linked with appropriate services.
ACCESS Center for Discovery and Learning
In 2016, the ACCESS Center for Discovery and Learning, a National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded translational research center, opened its doors.
Designed using environmentally conscious principles, the Center serves as an innovation incubator that fosters new thinking and provides a collaboration and education space within the community. It convenes patients, community members, schools, public officials, academics, health providers and other stakeholders, to develop solutions that will positively impact the total health of our communities.
Contact Information
If you are interested in learning more about the ACCESS Center for Discovery and Learning or research at ACCESS, please email Research@achn.net.