ABSTRACT
This article discusses the effect that the quality improvement organizations (QIOs) have achieved in the home healthcare industry under their contracts with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Specific successes are related to partnerships between QIOs and home health agencies (HHAs) and the future of outcome-based quality improvement (OBQI) in improving acute care hospitalization (ACH). Data are from the OBQI evaluation system and show outcomes for the baseline collection period (May 2001-April 2002) through the remeasurement period (April 2003-July 2004). Data reported are for cardiac care measures that affect ACH.
Subject(s)
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S./organization & administration , Home Care Agencies/organization & administration , Home Care Services/organization & administration , Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data , Total Quality Management/organization & administration , Acute Disease , Contract Services/organization & administration , Disclosure , Forecasting , Humans , Interinstitutional Relations , Michigan , Organizational Culture , Organizational Innovation , Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care/organization & administration , Pilot Projects , Quality Indicators, Health Care/organization & administration , Risk Adjustment/organization & administration , United StatesABSTRACT
As part of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' plan to implement Outcome-Based Quality Improvement (OBQI) in home health settings nationwide, a pilot project was initiated in 5 states. This article analyzes the results of the Michigan Peer Review Organization's (MPRO's) pilot project in terms of changes in patient outcomes that occurred in participating home health agencies between 2000 and 2001. Participating agencies had statistically significant improvements when comparing their performance in 2001 versus their performance in 2000. They did not achieve significant improvement though in comparison to the national reference group. Agencies should implement the OBQI process in its entirety annually until the desired outcome is achieved.
