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Health Information Technology Initiative (HIT)
Project Overview
Imagine a health care system where every person receives the right care every time, and where staff and providers have the tools and resources to deliver that care. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Qualidigm are dedicated to realizing this vision.
Qualidigm, Connecticut's Quality Improvement Organization (QIO), is working to assist primary care physician offices in a wide range of initiatives related to improving the quality of patient care. Specifically, we will promote the integration of health information technology into primary care physician offices to enhance quality, safety and performance of health care delivery. As your QIO, we are committed to helping primary care physicians offices deliver care that is consistently safe, effective, efficient, timely, person-centered and equitable.
Qualidigm will be working with primary care physician offices in Connecticut on the following key strategies identified by CMS as part of the Physician Office Quality Initiative:
- Measure and Report Performance – Acquire the infrastructure necessary to electronically submit data to measure performance, identify opportunities for improvement and track progress. Comparative data are reported for use in quality improvement, pay-for-performance and accreditation with appropriate provider consents. Reporting creates the motivation to achieve transformational levels of performance.
- Adopt Health Information Technology – Integrate health information technology into physician offices to enhance quality, safety and performance. Health information technology gives physicians the power to measure their performance for continuous improvement.
- Redesign Care Processes – Develop the ability to identify specific patient populations, automate reminders and produce patient-specific care plans. A redesigned physician office includes standardized processes based on evidence-based clinical guidelines and best practices within the office and across health care settings to enhance reliability and safety while minimizing waste and inefficiency.
- Transform Organizational Culture - Support a culture of clinical quality, patient self-management, care coordination and safety by empowering leaders and staff to create change through open communication and teamwork. A person-centered environment engages staff and helps patients navigate the complex health care system.
Project Goals:
Statewide Goals Include:
- Promoting the implementation of information technology including disease registries, e-prescribing and fully integrated Electronic Health Records (EHRs).
- Promoting awareness of the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI).
- Promoting the use of appropriate preventive and disease-based care processes, including the “Welcome to Medicare Visit.”
- Participating Physician Office Goals - Qualidigm works intensively with 40 physician offices in Connecticut to:
- Adopt and use electronic clinical information including disease registries, e-prescribing and fully integrated EHRs.
- Implement care management and patient self-management processes in physician offices.
- Submit clinical performance measurement data to the QIO Clinical Warehouse.
Qualidigm's Approach:
Our staff works with primary care physician offices to improve quality of care by:
Partnership Building
- Sponsoring and participating in statewide HIT events such as vendor fairs, medical society conferences and specialty society meetings.
- Working with large physician organizations to promote and adopt HIT and other quality improvement initiatives.
Performance Feedback
- Assisting and supporting practices in voluntary data submission to Medicare.
Quality Improvement Training and Support
- Evaluating EHR, disease registry and e-prescribing vendors.
- Providing demonstration scenarios for evaluation of EHR products.
- Identifying which HIT system best meets the needs of a practice.
- Providing general guidelines for contracting with vendors.
- Analyzing existing workflow and identifying improvements for patient flow, documentation, in-office communication and document management.
- Sharing best practices in implementation from other practices via newsletters, website and user group discussions.
- Supporting disease and care management programs for those already using technology.
- Reviewing performance data reports with providers.
Marketing and Communications
- Recognizing outstanding quality improvement efforts through the Qualidigm Quality Awards program.
- Providing certificates and press releases to physician offices promoting their involvement in quality improvement efforts with Qualidigm.
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What’s New
Implementating Health Information Technology InThe Physician Office
A Success Story
Bridgeport Family Heatlh
Implementing a new electronic health record system is a challenging task. Bridgeport Family Health knows a thing or two about converting paper medical records to electronic records. This practice has successfully implemented an electronic health records system since August 2006, truly an amazing accomplishment.
Dr. Dennis Williams is a solo practitioner at Bridgeport Family Health. He is a primary care physician who has been in practice in Bridgeport for 15 years. Dr. Williams sees the benefits of an electronic health records system in improved quality of care, staff efficiency, and satisfaction. According to Dr. Williams, “The electronic health record process has challenges but the overall improvement in organization, efficiency, and patient care has made me an avid supporter of electronic-based medical practice.”
As part of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Qualidigm the Quality Improvement Organization for Connecticut, works with physician practices such as Bridgeport Family Health by providing a tailored technical assistance plan and support to achieve their objectives.
See New Physician Office Related Links Under Tools and Resource Section
Chronic Kidney Disease - A Pocket Guide for Primary Care Physicians
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Tools & Resources
National Committee for Quality Assurance
NCQA is a national non-profit organization that evaluates health care through accreditation, the Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set (HEDIS), and through a comprehensive member satisfaction survey.
Bridges to Excellence (BTE)
Bridges To Excellence is a not for profit organization that designs and creates programs that encourage physicians and physician practices to deliver safer, more effective and efficient care by giving them financial and other incentives. BTE collaborates with NCQA on the physician recognition program. Eligible physicians must demonstrate that they provide high levels of care by passing NCQA's performance assessment program.
- Physician Practice Connection enables physician office sites to qualify for bonuses based on their implementation of specific processes such as health information technology intended to reduce errors and increase quality. A report card for each physician office describes its performance on the program measures and is made available to the public.
- Diabetes Physician Recognition Program enables physicians to achieve one-year or three-year recognition for high performance in diabetes care. The program offers a suite of products and tools to help diabetic patients get engaged in their care, achieve better outcomes, and identify local physicians that meet the high performance measures.
- Heart/Stroke Recognition Program enables physicians to achieve three-year recognition for high performance in cardiac care. The program offers a suite of products and tools to help cardiac patients get engaged in their care, achieve better outcomes, and identify local physicians who meet the high performance measures.
- Back Pain Recognition Program enables physicians to achieve two-year recognition for high performance in spine care. The program offers a suite of products and tools to help back pain patients get engaged in their care, achieve better outcomes, and identify local physicians who meet the high performance measures.
Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) The Institute for Healthcare Improvement is a not-for-profit organization driving the improvement of health by advancing the quality and value of health care. This website is designed for health care providers and organizations that are seeking to improve the care they give.
Outpatient Topics include:
Clinical Microsystems A Clinical Microsystems approach offers a new and unique approach to an old problem: how to redesign health services processes to improve quality and reduce variation to lead the process of change.
Improving Chronic Illness Care
Improving Chronic Illness Care, with the support of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is dedicated to the idea that United States health care can do better.
- Overview of the Chronic Care Model- which summarizes the basic elements for improving care in health systems at the community, organization, practice and patient levels.
American Academy of Family Physicians
The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) is the national association of family doctors. It is one of the largest national medical organizations, with more than 94,000 members in 50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam. The AAFP offers a wide range of resources and tools to help family physicians run successful practices.
- PracticeManagement
- The Center for Health Information Technology
The Center for Health Information Technology is the focal point of the AAFP's technical expertise, advocacy, research, and member services associated with medical office automation and computerization
American College of Physicians
The American College of Physicians (ACP) is the nation's largest medical specialty society. Its mission is to enhance the quality and effectiveness of health care by fostering excellence and professionalism in the practice of medicine.
- Quality Improvement, Pay-for- Performance and Practice Redesign
- One-time "Welcome to Medicare" Physical Exam
- Chronic Kidney Disease - A Pocket Guide for Primary Care Physicians
- Qualidigm's presentation at the American College Physicians Connecticut Chapter Scientific Meeting on "Health Information Technology in Connecticut Physician Offices."
Electronic Health Record (EHR) Selector The ‘EHR’ Selector by Medical Strategic Planning (MSP) allows a user to create customized lists of qualified solutions based on almost 400 criteria. Currently, there are 26 products in the MSP database with more being added every month. The EHR Selector includes features such as:
- Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT) status
- Practice size
- Specialties using the product
- Software pricing
- Contract details
- Product features and functions
- Regulatory compliance
- Training and support
In partnership with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services health information technology initiative, MSP is offering this service at a discounted rate. Qualidigm is available to assist practices with questions regarding the features of this service. For additional information or to obtain information on how to take advantage of the discounted rate, please contact Stephen Burrows, Project Manager (sburrows@qualidigm.org) or 860 632-6388.
HIT Adoption for Physicians
Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI)
PQRI is a voluntary physician program to help collect data related to the quality of care provided to Medicare beneficiaries to identify the most effective ways to use quality measures in routine practice and support physicians in their efforts to improve quality of care. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are sponsoring a series of national conference calls. Click here for more information on PQRI.
MedQIC is a website where health care professionals can find and share quality improvement resources and browse through recommended interventions developed by colleagues and experts in their field. MedQIC offers tools, articles and links to resources about how to transform organizational culture, adopt health information technology, redesign care processes, and measure and report performance.
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FAQs
What are my responsibilities as a participating primary care physician office?
Your responsibilities of participation in the Health Information Technology Initiative are:
- Provide reasonable access to the physician office for Qualidigm to complete operational assessments and to provide feedback in preparation for Electronic Health Record (EHR) implementation.
- Actively participate in office assessments and provide personnel to assist in information gathering sessions.
- Make a reasonable attempt to maintain the timeline, which will be mutually established by Qualidigm and the practice.
- Implement and utilize either an EHR or electronic Disease Registry and electronic Prescribing System.
- Complete Medicare's program evaluation of the project and submit the evaluation to CMS.
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Our Partners
- The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
- Academy of Family Physicians- Connecticut Chapter
- Connecticut State Medical Society
- Connecticut State Medical Society Independent Practice Association
- Connecticut Department of Public Health
- End Stage Renal Disease Network of New England
- Fistula First - National Vascular Access Improvement Inititiative
- Health Net
- Connecticut Pharmacists Association
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Project Team
Project Manager
Stephen Burrows, DPM, MBA
860.632.6388
sburrows@qualidigm.org
Administrative Assistant
Cathy Griffith
860.632.6302
cgriffith@qualidigm.org
Analysis
Shih-Yieh Ho, MPH, PhD
Clinical Advisor
Thomas P. Meehan, MD, MPH
Health Educator/Marketing and Communications
Michele Kelvey-Albert, MPH, CHES
Management
Anne Elwell, RN, BS, MPH, CPHQ
Quality Improvement Consultant
Brian Collins
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Events
Project Overview | What's New | Tools & Resources | FAQs | Our Partners | Project Team | Events