PCMH: Best Practices in Communication

Keeping patients healthy and out of the hospital requires team work. These two short simulations illustrate best practices in communication for medical practices and demonstrate the importance of proactive engagement.

Prescription Refills - Click the picture below to launch.
It is very dangerous for patients to skip medication. This 3 minute interaction illustrates how the front line staff can work with clinicians, patients, and caregivers to ensure timely medication refills.

Best Practices in Communication - Click the picture below to launch. 
This simulation illustrates how the front line staff can influence overall health outcomes.

Medicare Program; Evaluation Criteria and Standards for Quality Improvement Networks Quality Improvement Program Contracts

ACTION

Notice With Comment Period.

SUMMARY

This notice with comment period describes the general criteria we intend to use to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the Quality Innovation Network (QIN) Quality Improvement Organizations (QIOs) that will enter into contracts with CMS under the Quality Innovation Network Quality Improvement Organizations (Solicitation Number: HHSM-500-2014-RFP-QIN-QIO) Statement of Work (SOW) on August 1, 2014. The evaluation of a QIN-QIO's performance related to their SOW will be based on evaluation criteria specified for the tasks and subtasks set forth inSections C.5, G.22 and G.29 of the QIN-QIO Base Contract and Attachment J-1(b) of the Base Contract; Attachment J-1 is QIN-QIO Task Order No. 001.

 

TABLE OF CONTENTSBack to Top

• DATES:
• ADDRESSES:
• FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
• SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
• I. Background
• II. Provisions of the Notice With Comment Period
• QIN-QIO Tasks
• Improving Cardiac Health and Reducing Cardiac Healthcare Disparities (See Section B.1 of Attachment J.1, QIN-QIO Task Order No. 001)
• Reducing Disparities in Diabetes Care: Everyone With Diabetes Counts (EDC) (See Section B.2 in Attachment J.1, QIN-QIO Task Order No. 001)
• Improving Prevention Coordination Through Meaningful Use of HIT and Collaborating With Regional Extension Centers (See Section B.4 in Attachment J.1, QIN-QIO Task Order No. 001)
• Reducing Healthcare-Associated Infections in Hospitals (See Section C.1 in Attachment J.1 of the QIN-QIO Task Order)
• Reducing Healthcare-Acquired Conditions in Nursing Homes (See Section C.2 in Attachment J.1, QIN-QIO Task Order No. 001)
• Coordination of Care (See Section C.3 in Attachment J.1,QIN-QIO Task Order No. 001)
• Quality Improvement Through Value-Based Payment, Quality Reporting, and the Physician Feedback Reporting Program (See Section D.1 in Attachment J.1, QIN-QIO Task Order No. 001)
• QIN-QIO-Proposed Projects That Advance Efforts for Better Care at Lower Cost (See Section D.2 in Attachment J.1, QIN-QIO Task Order No. 001)
• Quality Improvement Initiatives (See Section E.1 in Attachment J.1, QIN-QIO Task Order No. 001)
• III. Evaluation of the Tasks
• Annual and 54th Month Evaluation
• Overall Contract Evaluation
• Rounding Rules
• 1. Interim Calculations
• 2. Percentages/Proportions/Rates
• 3. Integers
• III. Collection of Information Requirements
• IV. Response to Comments
• VI. Regulatory Impact Statement

TABLESBack to Top

• Plan & Program Monitoring

DATES:Back to Top

Effective Date: August 1, 2014 to July 31, 2019 for the QIN-QIO contract.

Comment Date: To be assured consideration, comments must be received at one of the addresses provided below, no later than 5 p.m. on September 10, 2014.

ADDRESSES:Back to Top

In commenting, refer to file code CMS-3300-NC. Because of staff and resource limitations, we cannot accept comments by facsimile (FAX) transmission.

You may submit comments in one of four ways (please choose only one of the ways listed):

1. Electronically. You may submit electronic comments on this regulation to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the “Submit a comment” instructions.

2. By regular mail. You may mail written comments to the following address only:

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services,

Department of Health and Human Services,

Attention: CMS-3300-NC,

P.O. Box 8010,

Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.

Please allow sufficient time for mailed comments to be received before the close of the comment period.

3. By express or overnight mail. You may send written comments to the following address only:

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services,

Department of Health and Human Services,

Attention: CMS-3300-NC,

Mail Stop C4-26-05,

7500 Security Boulevard,

Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.

4. By hand or courier. Alternatively, you may deliver (by hand or courier) your written comments only to the following addresses:

a. For delivery in Washington, DC—

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services,

Department of Health and Human Services,

Room 445-G, Hubert H. Humphrey Building,

200 Independence Avenue SW.,

Washington, DC 20201

(Because access to the interior of the Hubert H. Humphrey Building is not readily available to persons without Federal government identification, commenters are encouraged to leave their comments in the CMS drop slots located in the main lobby of the building. A stamp-in clock is available for persons wishing to retain a proof of filing by stamping in and retaining an extra copy of the comments being filed.)

b. For delivery in Baltimore, MD—

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services,

Department of Health and Human Services,

7500 Security Boulevard,

Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.

If you intend to deliver your comments to the Baltimore address, call telephone number (410) 786-9994 in advance to schedule your arrival with one of our staff members. Comments erroneously mailed to the addresses indicated as appropriate for hand or courier delivery may be delayed and received after the comment period.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:Back to Top

Alfreda Staton, (410) 786-4194.

https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2014/08/11/2014-18901/medicare-program-evaluation-criteria-and-standards-for-quality-improvement-networks-quality