http://www.abqaurp.org/e-mailer/hhs-2010.html   The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is seeking public input in the development of a National Health Care Quality Strategy and Plan. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the Affordable Care Act) calls on HHS to establish a National Quality Strategy, including a comprehensive strategic plan and the identification of priorities to improve the delivery of health care services, patient health outcomes, and population health.

As a Diplomate certified in Health Care Quality and Management, your input is crucial.

To provide feedback, HHS's requests that you provide comments on the webpage (link below). Alternatively, you may submit comments electronically to national_quality_strategy@hhs.gov. Written comments may also be submitted and should be addressed to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Attention: Nancy Wilson - Room 3216, 540 Gaither Road, Rockville, MD 20850 or faxed to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Attention: Nancy Wilson at (301) 427-1210.

All comments should be received no later than 5 p.m. on October 15, 2010.

Read the complete HHS report at: http://www.hhs.gov/news/reports/quality/nhcqsap.html.

Under the auspices of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the Effective Health Care Program (EHCP) recently issued a call for response to three Key Questions regarding Case Management. The responses to these questions will become part of a research report. The information gleaned from submitted responses will provide researchers with direction as to what evidence to look at in preparing their report and will ensure that research remains attentive on the outcomes that patients, clinicians, and policymakers require in order to make informed decisions.

The proposed research, "Comparative Effectiveness of Case Management for Adults with Medical Illness and Complex Care Needs," puts forth three Key Questions pertaining to patient outcomes, resource utilization outcomes, and process measure outcomes.

AUBURN, CA – New research concludes that the pace of automating and integrating care management workflows into health IT systems, remains slow.
 
The findings come out of "The 2010 Health Information Technology Survey: How Technology Is Changing the Practice of Case Management" report, conducted by TCS Healthcare Technologies (TCS) in conjunction with the Case Management Society of America (CMSA) and the American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians, Inc. (ABQAURP).....

For complete article, please click here.

The AMA Offers a Guide to Further your Knowledge of the Patient Safety Act and to Optimize Physician Participation in PSOs.

Under the federal Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 (Patient Safety Act), physicians have a defined role in reducing adverse patient events. Taking on this role calls for a clear understanding of the Patient Safety Act, as well as of patient safety evaluation systems (PSES) and patient safety organizations (PSOs).

The American Medical Association (AMA) has produced this guide to further your knowledge of the Patient Safety Act and to optimize physician participation in PSOs. As a physician leader, you can prepare other physicians in establishing PSES as described in the act and in selecting PSOs to which physicians or their hospitals subscribe.

THIS IS NOT A LEGAL DOCUMENT OR LEGAL ADVICE. The AMA guide offers a broad view of the Patient Safety Act.

The AMA encourages physicians to further their knowledge of the Patient Safety Act and the Rule that implements this legislation.

 Please use this link to view the PDF file (must have a PDF reader installed to view): 

http://www.abqaurp.org/pdf/patient-safety-organizations.pdf

The One thing is certain with health reform, namely that physicians, hospitals, and other health care providers will be increasingly accountable for the quality, outcomes, cost, and overall care of patients. Emphasis will be placed on patient care and utilization, clinical processes, and outcomes. Detecting and preventing waste, fraud, inappropriate care, and abuse in the health care system will also be critical.

In this era of accountability, those who have advanced training and certification in Health Care Quality and Management (HCQM) possess the practical knowledge and the tools needed to address these critical areas of concern. Health care professionals with HCQM certification have demonstrated that they are equipped with the skills needed to reduce medical errors, ensure patient safety, eliminate waste and unnecessary services, avoid potentially harmful delays in care, and improve outcomes.

Certification in HCQM positions the health care professional at the leading edge of health reform legislation. Professionals who are committed to patient safety, health care quality, and effective care will achieve the solution to many of the problems in the health care system. Purchasers, payors, providers, and patients recognize the advantage of professionals certified as experts in health care quality and management, for they have demonstrated their ability to critically evaluate the literature, identify evidence-based best practices, and make a recommendation that balances appropriateness of services with cost and quality.

HCQM certification addresses the need for effectiveness, efficiency, equity, safety, appropriateness, and timeliness. The result is a safer, more efficient, and effective outcome and value-driven system.

If you would like to inquire about eligibility to sit for the 2010 Health Care Quality and Management Board Examination,
please contact Barbara Charmers at (800) 998-6030 extension 116.

SAVE THE DATE

For ABQAURP's 33rd Annual Health Care Quality & Patient Safety Conference
Saturday, October 23rd, 2010 — Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resorts
Register Early! 2009 Conference at the Walt Disney World® Resort sold out.

IS YOUR MEDICAL EDUCATION ACCREDITED?

ABQAURP welcomes applications for joint sponsorship of educational activities for continuing education credit. ABQAURP accredits a variety of activities, including:

• Live Activity • Internet Activity Live
• Enduring Material • Internet Activity Enduring Material
• Journal-based CME • Performance Improvement

ABQAURP is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to sponsor continuing medical education for physicians and is also accredited by the Florida Board of Nursing to sponsor nursing contact hours. As an accredited provider, ABQAURP is here to work with each joint sponsor organization to ensure the accreditation process runs as smoothly as possible. Benefits of working with ABQAURP include: one-on-one assistance, on-site assistance, contact for speakers and commercial supporters, evaluation compilation, one-time mailing list to drive attendance, website placement, and advertising in Patient Safety & Quality Healthcare magazine.

ABQAURP believes that ongoing continuing education in new research, identified problem areas in clinical practice, and areas of interest in the quality assurance, utilization review, risk management, and managed care fields is a worthy endeavor to pursue. Participants improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of health care delivered to the patients to improve the overall clinical outcome. Plus, each activity encourages participants to put into practice knowledge learned and assess the impact. Innovative courses provide important updates and practical tools for all health care professionals. These activities ensure that participating health care professionals receive up-to-date information on the ever-changing health care environment.

For more information, please call Greg Zeaman at (800) 998-6030, ext. 118.

Today the administration announced the availability of $235 million in funds to support the Beacon Community Program.  The Beacon Community Program (BCP) will help to accelerate and demonstrate the ability of health IT to transform local health care systems, and to improve the lives of Americans and the performance of the health care providers who serve them. 

Implementing health IT is one thing.  Knowing what to do with the data, and turning the data into information is another.  Are you prepared to meet this challenge?

In an era of accountability, Health Care Quality and Management (HCQM) certification demonstrates that Diplomates have the practical knowledge and the tools that can reduce medical errors, ensure patient safety, eliminate waste, eliminate unnecessary services, and avoid potentially harmful delays in care. Certification demonstrates to internal entities that you, your group practice, or hospital is accountable. The result is a safer, more efficient and cost-effective system that better satisfies the needs of patients, providers, purchasers, and payers.

Professionals who have achieved certification in HCQM are deeply committed to patient safety, health care quality, and effective care. Those certified in HCQM demonstrate superior skills in their ability to critically evaluate the literature, identify evidence-based best practices, and make a recommendation that balances appropriateness of services with cost and quality. HCQM certification addresses the need for effectiveness, efficiency, equity, safety, and timeliness.