Improving Health Care Under Medicare's QIO Program

As a QIO, we strive to be a change agent and convener for widespread, significant improvements in health quality. In addition to freely sharing knowledge and tools, we are bringing evidence-based best practices to the bedside through both rapid-cycle projects for collaborative learning and individual assistance as needed. Learn more about our current initiatives and how you can participate.

• Improving Individual Patient Care. This involves reducing infection rates in hospitals, reducing nursing home healthcare acquired conditions, including the rates of pressure ulcers and restraint use, and addressing adverse drug events. We are also helping facilities report health care data for improvement.
• Integrating Care for Populations and Communities. We are identifying select communities to improve care transitions, ultimately leading to the reduction of preventable hospital re-admissions.
• Improving Health for Populations and Communities. We are helping primary care physicians improve rates for immunizations and cancer screenings and care for cardiovascular health. We are also assisting physicians with EHRs to report in the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS).

To achieve our goals, we are engaging a broad spectrum of providers and stakeholders.  Our primary driver of change is establishment of Learning Action Networks, which consist of committed providers and physicians focusing on a common, targeted set of problems and issues.  We also offer providers direct technical assistance as requested and needed.  This includes consultation, knowledge management, face-to-face/hands-on teaching, data analysis and assistance creating a sustainable infrastructure.