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.

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?