BACKGROUND: The @entity1577 ( @entity1577 ) Foundation recommends @entity1 attend clinic >= 4 times per year with 4 respiratory cultures and 2 pulmonary function tests (PFTs). However, nationally only 57.4% of @entity1 met these guidelines in 2012. We used a quality improvement program with a goal of 75% of our @entity1 meeting this care guideline by 2012. METHODS: A 2-stage program was started in 2011. Stage 1: education of @entity1 /caregivers on importance of quarterly visits. Stage 2: quarterly tracking system of @entity1 appointments. Data on clinic visits, respiratory cultures, and PFTs were collected from the @entity1577 registry from January 2009 through December 2013. Statistical process control charts were used to track improvements. RESULTS: The average number of clinic visits increased significantly from 4.6    2.3 in 2009 to 6.3    4.6 in 2013 (P < .0001). The percentage of @entity1 ages 6 through 18 completing a clinic visit, PFT, and respiratory culture per quarter increased significantly from 76.2% during 2009 to 86.4% in 2013. The percentage of @entity1 completing >= 4 clinic visits with 4 respiratory cultures and 2 PFTs improved significantly from 47.5% in 2009 to 71.0% in 2013 (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: A tracking system of @entity1 appointments significantly improved adherence to the care guidelines better than education alone. The multiple-stage quality improvement program we implemented may be modifiable and able to be integrated in other @entity1577 centers or other multiple disciplinary @entity102 care centers.

Improvements in XXXX Quarterly Visits, Lung Function Tests, and Respiratory Cultures.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'patient'] @entity1577 :: ('MESH:D003550', 'Disease') :: ['CF', 'Cystic Fibrosis'] @entity102 :: ('MESH:D002908', 'Disease') :: ['chronic illness']
@entity1577 :: (MESH:D003550,Disease) :: ['Cystic Fibrosis']
