QIO News Posts
COVID-19 Telehealth Coverage Expansion Benefits Medicare Beneficiaries
Medicare beneficiaries will have access to a wider range of health services during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency as the result of expanded telehealth coverage. The Trump Administration and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented the...
Resources for COVID-19 Information and Guidance Updates
The CDC, CMS, and State Departments of Health are responding to cases of COVID-19 across the United States. This is a rapidly evolving situation and new information and guidance to healthcare facilities is being updated on a daily basis. In addition to your State...
Starting the Conversation About Prescription (Rx) Opioids | CDC Guidelines
In 2018, 9.9 million people reported misuse of prescription pain relievers, such as opioids, during the past year on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Doctors prescribe opioids to treat moderate to severe pain, often following a surgery or injury or for...
Consensus-Based Medication Safety Best Practices for Hospitals
The Institute for Safe Medication Practices has published the 2020-2021 Targeted Medication Safety Best Practices for Hospitals (TMSBP). The updated list includes new best practices on opioid prescribing and on the risks related to the 'override' feature with...
Meet Your Quality Improvement Partner: Jayme Steig
Great Plains Quality Innovation Network (GPQIN) has a team of highly-committed, quality improvement experts who are ready to meet you where you are at in your quality improvement journey. Committed to the mission of making healthcare in our region the best in the...
Patient Safety Awareness Week – Join the Initiative and Raise Awareness
Patient Safety Awareness Week is an annual recognition event intended to encourage awareness about patient safety and recognize the work already being done. This is an opportune time to remind patients they play an important role in ensuring that health care is safe....
CMS Quality, Safety and Oversight Memos
March 5, 2020 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued three new Quality, Safety and Oversight memos about COVID-19 - two apply to nursing homes and a third to hospitals that are listed below. We strongly encourage you to review. QSO...
CMS Announces Actions to Address Spread of Coronavirus
March 4, 2020 - CMS calls on all healthcare providers to activate infection control practices and issues guidance to inspectors as they inspect facilities affected by Coronavirus Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is announcing several...
New Toolkits Available to Ensure Safety and Quality in Nursing Homes
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released two toolkits to help with safety and quality in nursing homes. Developing a Restful Environment Action Manual (DREAM) Toolkit – Consists of several component, including a nurse handbook, leadership...
Eliminating Medication Overload: Lown Institute Action Plan
Every day, 750 older Americans are hospitalized due to serious side effects from one or more medications. The odds of experiencing a serious adverse reaction to a medication increases 7 to 10 percent with each additional drug—yet today, more than 40 percent of older...