Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare quality
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation: Report to Congress
Details the activities and progress of the CMS Innovation Center, focusing on the time period between October 1, 2014, and September 30, 2016. Includes updates on multiple rural-relevant models and initiatives such as the Accountable Care Organization Investment Model, Health Care Innovation Awards, and the Strong Start for Mothers and Newborns initiative.
Date: 12/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Details the activities and progress of the CMS Innovation Center, focusing on the time period between October 1, 2014, and September 30, 2016. Includes updates on multiple rural-relevant models and initiatives such as the Accountable Care Organization Investment Model, Health Care Innovation Awards, and the Strong Start for Mothers and Newborns initiative.
Date: 12/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Report to Congress: Social Risk Factors and Performance Under Medicare's Value-Based Purchasing Program
Uses Medicare data to examine the relationship between social risk factors and the performance of value-based purchasing programs. Discusses policy considerations that could help ensure value-based purchasing programs achieve their intended results, especially among high social risk populations. Categorizes rurality as a community risk factor and discusses whether beneficiaries with social risk factors such as rurality have worse outcomes due to their social risk profile, or because of the providers they see. Also provides rural-specific statistics and recommendations for using value-based purchasing to improve health outcomes among high social risk populations. Appendices summarize and provide additional details for each of the 9 programs evaluated. See the second report.
Additional links: Appendices
Date: 12/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Uses Medicare data to examine the relationship between social risk factors and the performance of value-based purchasing programs. Discusses policy considerations that could help ensure value-based purchasing programs achieve their intended results, especially among high social risk populations. Categorizes rurality as a community risk factor and discusses whether beneficiaries with social risk factors such as rurality have worse outcomes due to their social risk profile, or because of the providers they see. Also provides rural-specific statistics and recommendations for using value-based purchasing to improve health outcomes among high social risk populations. Appendices summarize and provide additional details for each of the 9 programs evaluated. See the second report.
Additional links: Appendices
Date: 12/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Medicare Value-Based Payment Models: Participation Challenges and Available Assistance for Small and Rural Practices
Identifies challenges faced by small and rural physician practices when participating in Medicare's new value-based payment models, and groups them into five key areas: financial resources and risk management, health IT and data, population health management care delivery, quality and efficiency performance measurement and reporting, and effects of model participation and managing compliance with requirements. Also identifies two types of organizations, partner and non-partner, along with the services they provide, that can help small and rural practices overcome these challenges.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Identifies challenges faced by small and rural physician practices when participating in Medicare's new value-based payment models, and groups them into five key areas: financial resources and risk management, health IT and data, population health management care delivery, quality and efficiency performance measurement and reporting, and effects of model participation and managing compliance with requirements. Also identifies two types of organizations, partner and non-partner, along with the services they provide, that can help small and rural practices overcome these challenges.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Rural Health Networks and Care Coordination: Health Care Innovation in Frontier Communities to Improve Patient Outcomes and Reduce Health Care Costs
Discusses the findings of a single-case, community-based participatory design study in a frontier community in northern Minnesota to determine the effectiveness of developing a community care team focused on collaboration and care coordination to improve patient outcomes and reduce emergency room use.
Author(s): Pat Conway, Heidi Favet, Laurie Hall, Jenny Uhrich, Jeanette Palcher, et al.
Citation: Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 27(4A), 91–115
Date: 11/2016
Type: Document
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Discusses the findings of a single-case, community-based participatory design study in a frontier community in northern Minnesota to determine the effectiveness of developing a community care team focused on collaboration and care coordination to improve patient outcomes and reduce emergency room use.
Author(s): Pat Conway, Heidi Favet, Laurie Hall, Jenny Uhrich, Jeanette Palcher, et al.
Citation: Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 27(4A), 91–115
Date: 11/2016
Type: Document
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MBQIP Quality Measure Trends, 2011-2016
Examines trends in 37 Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) quality measures from 2011 to 2016. Groups Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) within 45 State Flex Programs into five regions, and organizes data into tables and figures which allow in-depth comparisons of the national, regional, and state trends for each MBQIP measure. Presents findings across five quality measure domains: patient engagement, care transitions, outpatient, inpatient, and patient safety.
Author(s): Tami Swenson, Michelle Casey
Date: 11/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Examines trends in 37 Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) quality measures from 2011 to 2016. Groups Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) within 45 State Flex Programs into five regions, and organizes data into tables and figures which allow in-depth comparisons of the national, regional, and state trends for each MBQIP measure. Presents findings across five quality measure domains: patient engagement, care transitions, outpatient, inpatient, and patient safety.
Author(s): Tami Swenson, Michelle Casey
Date: 11/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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"How Can We Talk about Patient-centered Care without Patients at the Table?" Lessons Learned from Patient Advisory Councils
Reports on a survey of patient advisory council (PAC) members associated with 8 primary care clinics and Federally Qualified Health Clinics (FQHCs), both rural and urban, in Northern California. Focuses on how PACs are developed, challenges faced, and the benefits of effective PACs.
Author(s): Anjana E. Sharma, Rachel Willard-Grace, Andrew Willis, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 29(6), 775-784
Date: 11/2016
Type: Document
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Reports on a survey of patient advisory council (PAC) members associated with 8 primary care clinics and Federally Qualified Health Clinics (FQHCs), both rural and urban, in Northern California. Focuses on how PACs are developed, challenges faced, and the benefits of effective PACs.
Author(s): Anjana E. Sharma, Rachel Willard-Grace, Andrew Willis, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 29(6), 775-784
Date: 11/2016
Type: Document
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Impact of Race/Ethnicity and Socioeconomic Status on Risk-Adjusted Readmission Rates: Implications for the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program
Examines what would happen to hospitals' excess readmission ratios and potential penalties if socioeconomic status and race/ethnicity were added to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services risk-adjustment algorithm. Includes information on potential change in penalties for metropolitan, micropolitan, and nonmetro hospitals.
Author(s): Grant R. Martsolf, Marguerite L. Barrett, Audrey J. Weiss, et al.
Citation: Inquiry, 53
Date: 10/2016
Type: Document
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Examines what would happen to hospitals' excess readmission ratios and potential penalties if socioeconomic status and race/ethnicity were added to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services risk-adjustment algorithm. Includes information on potential change in penalties for metropolitan, micropolitan, and nonmetro hospitals.
Author(s): Grant R. Martsolf, Marguerite L. Barrett, Audrey J. Weiss, et al.
Citation: Inquiry, 53
Date: 10/2016
Type: Document
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Indian Health Service Hospitals: More Monitoring Needed to Ensure Quality Care
Explores concerns about inadequate healthcare quality provided in Indian Health Service (IHS) hospitals. Makes recommendations for implementing several oversight measures and identifies problem areas that will need to be addressed in order to improve healthcare quality in IHS hospitals. See companion report: Indian Health Service Hospitals: Longstanding Challenges Warrant Focused Attention to Support Quality Care. Focuses on challenges related to quality reporting, Area Office vacancies, and health information technology.
Date: 10/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Explores concerns about inadequate healthcare quality provided in Indian Health Service (IHS) hospitals. Makes recommendations for implementing several oversight measures and identifies problem areas that will need to be addressed in order to improve healthcare quality in IHS hospitals. See companion report: Indian Health Service Hospitals: Longstanding Challenges Warrant Focused Attention to Support Quality Care. Focuses on challenges related to quality reporting, Area Office vacancies, and health information technology.
Date: 10/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Indian Health Service Hospitals: Longstanding Challenges Warrant Focused Attention to Support Quality Care
Study completed in response to concerns over inadequate quality of care being provided in Indian Health Service (IHS) hospitals. Included in the report are findings from a series of leadership and staff interviews, questionnaires, and document reviews. Recommendations for improving quality of care are made to IHS and the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Additional recommendations for improving quality through oversight measures can be found in the companion report: Indian Health Service Hospitals: More Monitoring Needed to Ensure Quality Care Addresses healthcare access difficulties, health workforce challenges, and more.
Date: 10/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Study completed in response to concerns over inadequate quality of care being provided in Indian Health Service (IHS) hospitals. Included in the report are findings from a series of leadership and staff interviews, questionnaires, and document reviews. Recommendations for improving quality of care are made to IHS and the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Additional recommendations for improving quality through oversight measures can be found in the companion report: Indian Health Service Hospitals: More Monitoring Needed to Ensure Quality Care Addresses healthcare access difficulties, health workforce challenges, and more.
Date: 10/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Adequacy of EMS Systems of Care Protocols for Adults with OHCA, STEMI & Stroke in Oregon: A Structured Review
Examines the emergency medical services (EMS) treatment protocols practiced in ambulance agencies in Oregon. Focuses on how they align with evidence-based practices for EMS treatment for adult patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), STEMI (ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction), and stroke. Includes rural/urban comparisons.
Additional links: Executive Report
Author(s): Paul S. Rostykus
Date: 10/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Oregon Office of Rural Health
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Examines the emergency medical services (EMS) treatment protocols practiced in ambulance agencies in Oregon. Focuses on how they align with evidence-based practices for EMS treatment for adult patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), STEMI (ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction), and stroke. Includes rural/urban comparisons.
Additional links: Executive Report
Author(s): Paul S. Rostykus
Date: 10/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Oregon Office of Rural Health
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