As you may know, the Great Plains Quality Innovation Network is part of the Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) program, funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). At this time, CMS is working to identify priority areas for the QIO program going forward. Therefore, we are entering a transition period.
We will continue to work as the Quality Innovation Network – Quality Improvement Organization in a limited capacity during the transition period. We anticipate the next contract cycle to begin late Summer/early Fall. We will have a team of quality improvement members available to assist during this interim. We are currently in the process of identifying education and resources that will assist the healthcare provider community in preparation. We hope to communicate more on specific offerings in the coming weeks.
As we look forward to new challenges and opportunities, we reflect on the successes and improvements made over the past five years. We look forward to sharing our team members’ responses to questions related to our work, partnerships and contributions over the next few weeks:
How has Great Plains QIN had an impact on healthcare quality in our region?
“Our team is an ongoing, consistent resource for quality improvement in our region. It may include explaining the Quality Payment Program requirements to a practice manager, helping a hospital avoid readmission penalties, serving as a committee member for a provider association in our states, or showing a new Director of Nursing at a nursing home how to run their quality measure reports and identify priorities to work on. Quality improvement work in healthcare is a constant and leads to better outcomes for the people we serve.” – Ryan Sailor, MBA, President and Chief Operating Officer.
“Having a regional organization, like the Great Plains QIN, has allowed for spread of successful best practices across our four-state region and beyond through LAN events, sharing of tools and other resources. Being able to tap into a four-state network of subject matter experts has allowed us to assist others in more effective and efficient manners.” – Jayme Steig, PharmD, RPh
“Our work on outpatient antibiotic stewardship has impacted the health of Kansans demonstrated by a decrease in the number of C. diff cases in our hospitals. Kansans are becoming much more aware of the risks of unnecessary antibiotics and having more conversations with their providers to determine ‘do I really need an antibiotic?” – Nadyne Hagmeier, RN.
We recently published a Q&A Session with CMS Program Leaders as they reflected on the progress made and the evolution they see ahead—for the QIO Program. Read more.
We thank you for your partnership, your commitment to quality and your continued efforts to improve care. Also, we thank you for your patience and support as we navigate through this transition period. We will continue to share news, updates and resources in the coming weeks. If you have questions or anything we can assist with in the interim, please contact a member of our team.
