Los Angeles, Jan. 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — An independent evaluation shows that small medical practices serving Los Angeles’ most underserved communities achieved 7 to 13 percent improvement in blood pressure control, cancer screening and diabetes care. The findings come from the Equity and Quality at Independent Practices in Los Angeles (EQuIP-LA) initiative, which partnered with 31 independent practices to strengthen care quality for Medicaid patients across the region.
The EQuIP-LA initiative was led by the California Quality Collaborative (CQC), a health care improvement program that partners with providers, health plans and the delivery system across the state to strengthen primary care, advance health equity and spread evidence-based quality improvement. Through EQuIP-LA, CQC supported participating practices with a comprehensive technical assistance approach that included direct funding, targeted training, personalized advising, data insights and collaborative learning. CQC has supported hundreds of practices statewide through evidence-based improvement programs.
The evaluation, conducted by the Center for Community Health and Evaluation (CCHE), found statistically significant improvements (p<0.01) across all three priority clinical quality measures, with 30 of 31 practices improving at least one measure. Practices also reported strengthened foundational capabilities, increased readiness to sustain quality improvement and a deeper understanding of how to identify and address disparities in their patient population.
“This evaluation confirms what we see every day,” said Peter Robertson, Director of Practice Transformation at CQC. “Independent practices are cornerstones of care for Medi-Cal patients, and when we invest in their capacity, the entire health system benefits. These results show that meaningful improvement is not only possible but within reach for practices across California.”
Key findings from the evaluation include:
- Improved clinical outcomes: Participating practices achieved 7 to 13 percent improvement in blood pressure control, colorectal cancer screening and glycemic assessment, with 30 of 31 practices improving at least one measure.
- Strengthened primary care capabilities: Practices reported gains across CQC’s seven foundational domains of primary care, including team-based care, data-driven improvement and leadership engagement.
- Enhanced capacity for improvement: Providers and staff reported increased confidence in their ability to apply quality improvement methods and sustain improvements beyond the initiative.
- Equity-focused change: Practices deepened their understanding of health equity concepts and adopted strategies to better identify and address disparities within their patient populations.
“EQuIP-LA helped our practice strengthen how we deliver care for our patients. By training medical assistants as community health workers and using patient registries to guide outreach, we were able to close gaps in care and better connect patients to the medical and social services they need,” said Dr. Mallu Reddy, founder and medical director of Reddy Care Medical.
Building on lessons from EQuIP-LA, CQC continues to support care teams through training and applied learning opportunities, including its Improvement Coaching Workshop. The workshop offers participants hands-on training with core quality improvement tools that helps them advance real projects within their organizations. The training includes a pre-session orientation, full day of collaborative learning and post-session support. Registration for the April 2 session in Los Angeles is now open.
EQuIP-LA was funded by the California Health Care Foundation, which works to improve the health care system so that all Californians have the care they need.
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About California Quality Collaborative (CQC)
The California Quality Collaborative (CQC), a program of the Purchaser Business Group on Health, is dedicated to improving the quality and affordability of health care across California. CQC collaborates with health plans, providers and purchasers to drive systemwide transformation and promote high-value, patient-centered care.
About the Center for Community Health and Evaluation (CCHE)
The Center for Community Health and Evaluation (CCHE) designs and evaluates health-related programs and initiatives across the United States. Its mission is to improve the health of communities with collaborative approaches to planning, assessment, and evaluation. CCHE is part of Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute.
- Primary Care Visit at an Independent Practice