The Family Medicine Learning and Experience (FLEX) Lab: A Collaborative Approach to Advancing Clinical Care and...

Area of Science:

• Primary Care Innovation
• Health System Management
• Clinical Practice Improvement

Background:

• Growing primary care demand and complexity necessitate efficient patient management strategies.
• Limited guidance exists for implementing practice-level innovation in healthcare settings.
• Increasing chronic disease burden strains existing primary care models.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and implement innovative strategies within a primary care setting to enhance efficiency and patient access.
• To establish the Family Medicine Learning and Experience (FLEX) Lab as a platform for continuous practice improvement.
• To address the challenge of delivering high-quality care to more patients with limited staffing.

Main Methods:

• A 2-year multistage planning process was undertaken by the Mayo Clinic Department of Family Medicine.
• The FLEX Lab was established to identify and implement opportunities for innovation in daily practice.
• An incremental and continuous approach to design and innovation was adopted, informed by clinician and staff input.

Main Results:

• The FLEX Lab implemented novel interventions including nurse-led hypertension management and task-shifting.
• Integration of telehealth visits and ambient documentation were key components of the initial phase.
• Early findings indicate the potential for improved efficiency and care delivery within the primary care setting.

Conclusions:

• The FLEX Lab serves as an adaptable model for health systems seeking strategic practice improvements.
• Continuous, phased evolution of practice is supported through real-time clinician and staff input.
• The FLEX Lab approach is generalizable to various healthcare systems aiming to enhance primary care delivery.