Several Great Plains QIN team members were able to attend and were invited to share at the National CMS Quality Conference this past week in Baltimore, MD. This year’s conference theme was “Resilient and Ready Together: Creating an Optimal Environment for Quality Healthcare for Individuals, Families, and Communities.” 
Ryan Sailor, MBA, (pictured) offered an overview of the Quality Improvement Organization program as well as highlighted program successes during a luncheon session.
Dee Kaser, RN, CDCES and Stephanie Meduna, RN, BSN were invited to speak in a plenary session on using data to drive nursing home involvement and improvement. Kaser and Meduna shared a multi-faceted approach to connect and support nursing homes in the Dakotas.
“It was an honor being able to present at the CMS Quality Conference. Listening to others speak about what tactics they utilized to help nursing homes and sharing our story of what has worked. This was my first time at the CMS Quality Conference and it truly was an amazing experience. I was astonished with the education sessions and the networking with other team members and attendees,” shared Meduna.
Our team was also selected to display a poster presentation in the Gallery Walk, which highlighted how our team uses quality measure data reports to drive improvement in nursing homes.
“A key takeaway for me is that we need to re-think and be creative in how we deliver care by adapting to the patients needs and offering them choices that may not follow the norm, but are a reflection of ‘what matters’ to them, their social determinants of health, and meeting them where they are in their healthcare goals,” stated Krystal Hays, DNP, RN, CPHQ, RAC-CT; Great Plains QIN Regional Project Manager. (pictured on the right)
Eight Unique Tracks, One Unforgettable Experience
The CMS Quality Conference is the premier health care quality conference focused on improving quality, equity, and innovation within the healthcare sector. The conference brings together leaders in the healthcare space to explore and educate how to develop and spread solutions to address America’s most pervasive health system challenges. Subject matter experts and leaders across the country shared perspective and tactics relate to:
- Advancing Health Equity
- Collecting and Using Quality Data
- Engaging Partners and Communities
- Expanding Access to Quality and Affordable Behavioral and Physical Healthcare
- Healthcare System Resiliency and Readiness
- High Reliability and Quality Improvement
- New Technology and Innovation
- Patient Safety
Learn more by visiting the CMS Quality Conference Web page.