The Gov's Office of Health Care Reform (GOHCR), through the Chronic Care Initiative (CCI), aims to implement the Chronic Care Model in PA and is the umbrella organization for this collaborative, statewide effort that brings together many stakeholders (including health plans). Learning collaboratives are being formed in PA's six regions, starting in SE May 15, SC in October and SW or NE in November. Learning collaboratives are formal groups of about 30 primary care practices (they sign 3-year contracts), which will be supported by quality improvement coaches via IPIP, report on measure sets (diabetes and asthma initially) provided by IPIP using a patient registry provided by IPIP. The learning collaboratives kick off at sessions, organized by the GOHCR, that provide education on the models as well as compensation for time spent out of the practice by participating physicians and staff. The learning collaboratives have follow-up sessions to share lessons learned and continue learning about the models. All of these services are free to practices. The CCI will be initiated in the remaining regions in 2009 while also going back to the SE to develop another learning collaborative and offer other clinical topics (perhaps something in prevention). It's been said that 500 practices is the "tipping point" - that point where change becomes permanent - so we will continue to recruit practices and implement the Chronic Care Model. Link: http://www.pafp.com/