Peer Network Groups

Aliados Health hosts regular convenings and discussions between health center staff through structured peer group meetings where we address common challenges, work on joint programs and grant initiatives, disseminate information, and share best practices and lessons learned.  Active peer groups include:

Peer Network Group Descriptions:

Medical Directors

The Aliados Health Medical Director Peer Network Group convenes every other month to discuss current and emerging priorities, review and approve shared clinical guidelines and clinical decision support (CDS) tools for electronic health records, share best practices, and discuss health information tools to improve clinical care (e.g. health information exchange). This group is chaired by Dr. Danielle Oryn, Aliados Health’s CMO/CMIO.

Aliados Health Contact: Cristina Yanez

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Meeting Notes

Operations Leads

Updated information coming soon.

Aliados Health Contact: Tracy Mendez

Chief Financial Officers

Aliados Health has a CFO Peer Group for our health center staff that meets 3-4 times a year via Zoom.  The meetings are a forum for our members to:

  • Discuss the impact of Medi-Cal and other health care changes and reforms
  • Share general information relating to health center financial management, systems, and processes
  • Include external speakers to facilitate and inform discussions
  • Create an online network for staff to post questions/suggestions/etc. to/for the group outside of scheduled meetings

Aliados Health Contact: Michelle Russell

Dental Directors

The Aliados Health Dental Director Peer Network Group meets on a quarterly basis and focus on common priorities and challenges.  This group is chaired by Dr. Barry Chang, Dental Director at CommuniCare Health Centers in Yolo County.

Aliados Health Contact: Cristina Yanez

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Dental Director Peer Network Roster

Quality Improvement Leads

The Aliados Health Quality Improvement Leads meet every other month on the first Monday.  This peer group is chaired by rotating health center QI leads and agenda topics are determined by the members. The meetings are an opportunity to share promising practices and resources, receive Aliados Health program updates, strategize approaches to value based payments and pay for performance programs, and work together to improve population health outcomes.

The purpose of the peer group is to support the design, implementation and evaluation of systematic and continuous actions that promote the Triple Aim and lead to measureable improvement in health care services and population health outcomes across Aliados Health member community health centers.

Vision: Effective quality improvement includes the following four principles; focus on patients, QI work as systems and processes such as staff competency and peer review, team-based care and data driven strategies.  We are committed to rising as a team together as we pursue improvements and develop team strategies.

Aliados Health Contact: Arlene Pena

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eClinicalWorks Users Peer Group

The Aliados Health eCW peer group meets bi-monthly, and is primarily attended by clinical system builders.  Occasionally the group will have breakout sessions focusing on problem solving, sharing best practices, as well as other current priorities in the use of eClinicalWorks. This group is chaired by Dr. Danielle Oryn, Aliados Health’s CMO/CMIO.

Aliados Health Contact: Irene Alvarez

Epic Revenue Cycle Peer Group

The Aliados Health Revenue Cycle Peer group meets monthly to focus on financial stabilization of live sites, creating a strong regional support infrastructure, and clearing a path for future implementations.

Aliados Health Contact: Kim Kilpela

Epic Clinician Builders Peer Group

The Aliados Health Clinician Builders Peer group meets monthly with focus on configuration of Notes using SmartLists, SmartLinks, and Smart Texts; adoption of specific SmartSets, BPAs, ExpressLanes; and leveraging the network to create standardized workflow engine rules and documentation.

Aliados Health Contact: Kim Kilpela

Epic Executive Sponsors

The Aliados Health Executive Sponsors group meets monthly with OCHIN leadership to form alignment as a network, set priorities, and voice overarching and/or respective needs related to Epic

Aliados Health Contact: Kim Kilpela

Epic Users Group

The Aliados Health Epic Users Group meets monthly to discuss upcoming enhancement packs, system challenges, optimization, and regional support infrastructure.

Aliados Health Contact: Kim Kilpela

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Data Workgroup

The Aliados Health Data Leads meet monthly, as needed, on the second Tuesday from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.  Agenda topics are determined by federal, state and agency reporting requirements, as well as, current evidence-based care programs where the health centers collaborate. The meetings are an opportunity to learn about Relevant report updates, share aggregated data dashboards, look at performance against common benchmarks, and look at systems of data validation.

Aliados Health Contact: Malea Villarreal
Link to Data Analytics and Governance page for resources.

Data Standards and Integrity Council

The Aliados Health Data Standards and Integrity Council meets bi-monthly on the first Monday.  The Council is made up of a representative from each health center who has the authority to make decisions related to the health center data reporting and integrity. The objectives of this council are to improve data quality, increase data literacy and maximize the use of data for common measure sets and programs.

Aliados Health Contact: Colleen Petersen

Aliados Health Staff and Health Center Staff:
Data / Access / Report Fix Request Form

Link to Data Analytics and Governance page for resources.

Small Health Center Analytics Peer Group

Updated information coming soon.

Aliados Health Contact: Keira Dagy

Data Programmers Peer Group

The Data Programmers Peer Group meets bi-monthly on the first Monday.  The goal of this group is to give health center data programmers/coders a forum to discuss coding problems or share what they’ve created, as well as to give feedback on projects needed at a network level.

Aliados Health Contact: Margo Garlicka

Epic Data Programmers Peer Group

The Epic Programmers Peer Group meets bi-weekly on the first and third Mondays of the month.  The goal of this group is to support health center data programmers/coders with a variety of topics related to Ochin/Epic utilization and the transition from their existing EHR to OCHIN/Epic.  This meeting generally starts with a specific topic posed by others in previous discussions ending with an open forum allowing programmers to share problems or projects, give and receive feedback on projects needed at a health center level.

Aliados Health Contact: Amanda Kiannejad

Relevant Users Peer Group

The Relevant Users Peer Group meets quarterly on the first Monday.  The goal of this group is to provide a forum for Relevant and Aliados updates.

Aliados Health Contact: Malea Villarreal

Security Leads Peer Group

The Security Leads Peer Group meets quarterly.  The goal of this group is to discuss issues related to data security / cybersecurity as pertain to Security Risk Analysis, Breach Mitigation, and CURES Act.

Aliados Health Contact: Irene Alvarez

Interoperability Steering Committee

Aliados Health health center interoperability leads and regional partners meet to discuss running issues and successes related to HIE and sharing of best practices.

Aliados Health Contact: Irene Alvarez

HIT Peer Group

Update information coming soon.

Aliados Health Contact: Irene Alvarez

CEC Peer Group

All Certified Enrollment Counselors (CECs) representing member health centers in Aliados Health are invited to quarterly meetings to discuss best practices, policies, goals and challenges.  These quarterly meetings review best practices for client enrollment in benefit programs such as CalFresh, Medi-Cal, Covered California and CMSP. Meeting topics have included but are not limited to: community outreach and education; data management; quality improvement and compliance; privacy and security requirements; health literacy practices; enrollment, utilization and retention strategies; and how to provide cultural and linguistically appropriate services.  Meetings are generally facilitated by Aliados Health staff, however guest presenters and subject matter experts in nutrition assistance and health insurance programs are frequently invited to the quarterly meetings to share knowledge and resources.

Aliados Health Contacts:

  1. Yesenia Mendoza (Nutrition Assistance-CalFresh)
  2. Pamela Moore (Health Insurance)

Advocacy and Communications Committee

The Aliados Health Advocacy Committee is a standing committee with goals of advancing local, statewide and national policy, legislation and funding to enhance and protect health care access and the safety net. The committee’s works in collaboration with advocacy and communications activities through California Health+ Advocates, California Primary Care Association, and National Association of Community Health Centers. The Advocacy and Communications Committee is an open committee that any Aliados Health member or affiliate in good standing may join. There are no term limits. The Director of Policy and Communications supports the committee. The committee will meet roughly once a month, or as determined by Aliados Health staff leadership.

Aliados Health Contact: Max Perrey

The Covered California Navigator Grant Supervisors meet monthly to discuss best practices, policies, program goals and challenges related to Covered California Navigator Grant Program administration.  The meetings are the fourth Friday of each month and are facilitated by Aliados Health staff; however all Supervisors are invited to contribute to the agenda and to host a meeting at their health center.

In addition to best practices for program administration and planning, meeting topics have included but are not limited to: enrollment counselor training; data management; quality improvement and compliance; privacy and security training; health literacy practices; outreach, enrollment, utilization and retention strategies;  and how to provide cultural and linguistically appropriate services.

Aliados Health Contact: Pamela Moore

Health Equity Leadership Council

Aliados Health’s Health Equity Leadership Council formed to develop and implement health center-based initiatives and activities to counter health inequities for patients, staff, and communities. The Health Equity Council meets monthly. Council participants share internal DEI efforts, and design and propose program goals, objectives, and activities. The Council submits health equity recommendations to Aliados Health’s Membership and Board for approval.

Aliados Health Contact:  Arlene Pena

Social Drivers of Health Peer Group

Aliados Health’s Social Drivers of Health (SDOH) Workgroup meets monthly and focuses on the development of Equity and SDOH dashboards for our health centers. We work through barriers and share best practices for increasing PRAPARE screenings. All health center staff are welcome to participate.

Aliados Health Contact:  Arlene Pena

Infectious Disease Work Group (ad hoc)

Aliados Health’s Infectious Disease Work Group started as a HIV/Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) work group several years ago. This group continues to focus on HIV and Hepatitis C, in addition to the following topics: COVID-19, adult immunization, latent tuberculosis, outpatient antimicrobial stewardship, and sexually transmitted infections.  Since 2016, the group has accomplished the following with a small and dedicated group of physician champions:

Aliados Health Contact: Valerie Knibb