Delay in PTN Award Notification

We wanted to take a moment to update you on our Practice Transformation Network (PTN) bid. CMS is taking much longer than expected – having moved their deadline for awarding these from May to June, and now declaring an announcement date of “late summer.” We are still very hopeful that we will be selected to do this work across the state of Kansas and beyond.

We will keep you posted if we hear anything. In the meantime, please take a moment to review our previous posts, highlighting the Radius Practice Transformation Network and other significant accomplishments that The Kansas Foundation for Medical Care has achieved. Stay tuned for PTN related announcements through this forum. We hope to continue to improve the quality of healthcare delivery by working with great providers like you.

KFMC's Quality Forum is Two Weeks Away

Quality Forum will be held from 7:30 am - 4:00 pm on July 31, 2015 at the Wichita Marriott. KFMC hosts their annual Quality Forum, as a platform used to educate healthcare providers and organizations on ways to improve the use of health information technology, promote patient safety and quality care, and advance positive health outcomes across the state of Kansas and beyond. Peers and recognized experts come together to share new ideas, methods and best practices, and focus on the latest concepts transforming the healthcare industry. The topic of transformation will be addressed from a health literacy and cultural standpoint during the general morning sessions, while topics around practice transformation and technological advancements will also be featured in the afternoon learning sessions.

This year’s theme is: Ignite Transformation! Advancing Positive Health Outcomes through Quality Care, and will feature a large variety of speakers coming from clinical, administrative and executive roles within the healthcare community. This conference is being hosted by KFMC and will feature learning sessions for The Great Plains Quality Innovation Network, Synōvim Healthcare Solutions, and the HPV Vaccination Project. The cost to attend is $75.00 and includes breakfast, lunch, refreshments, and snacks throughout the conference.

Synōvim Healthcare Solutions is sponsoring a breakout session featuring Trish Harkness, Senior HIT Privacy and Security Consultant. During this learning session, participants will hear real-life accounts of ePHI breaches and how they could be prevented. With significant breaches of Anthem and Premera Blue Cross, the security of electronic protected health information is becoming hot topic in the healthcare industry. Trish will discuss options for securing ePHI within multiple care settings and outside their walls, help providers obtain an understanding of encryption and why it is likely to be a critical component of a clinic’s security plan, and emphasize the importance of workforce education.

Mat Kendall will be speaking on behalf of Aledade, and holding a session jointly with The Heartland Telehealth Resource Center (HTRC). Aledade’s founding team has been on the forefront of healthcare policy and technology innovation for the past two decades, bringing an insider’s perspective to a complex and changing landscape. Mat will provide an overview of how the many incentive programs can be optimized to promote better care. In addition, HTRC will provide information regarding integrating telemedicine into existing practices. Providers will have a chance to have their questions answered concerning technology, billing, reimbursement, and best practices.

Continuing education will be available for nurses, physicians, APRNs, dieticians, long-term care administrators and social workers. To view the program brochure and credit statement and to register online, visit www.kfmc.org/events/quality-forum.

New Leadership for REC and PTN

We would like to take this opportunity to announce that Michael Aldridge has resigned his position as Vice President of Operations at KFMC after five successful years serving as the Regional Extension Center (REC) Program Director. Michael's last day with KFMC will be July 10.  

Under Michael’s leadership and with an expert team of HIT consultants (pictured above), 972 PPCPs have reached Meaningful Use, earning more than $25 million from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services EHR Incentive Programs. In addition, through a strong partnership with The Kansas Hospital Education and Research Foundation, 89 of the 95 participating Critical Access/Rural hospitals are using CEHRT and 61 have attested to Meaningful Use, earning more than $90 million of incentives. By the end of this grant, it is expected that 86 participating hospitals will reach Meaningful Use.

ONC reports that 53% of Kansas physician practices have adopted basic EHRs. The adoption rates are even higher, 65%, for primary care physicians in Kansas, thanks in great part to REC funding, excellent REC staff, and hardworking providers.

We are pleased that Michael's new role will enable him to continue improving healthcare in KS. Michael's new role is Executive Director with Aledade for the Kansas region. KFMC will be providing technical assistance to the providers that join the Aledade Kansas ACO to prepare them for alternative payment models, thus allowing Michael to continue working with many of the team he assembled for the REC work.

We are excited to share that Erin Patrick has been named Regional Extension Center (REC) Program Director and will be leading the KFMC Practice Transformation Network (PTN) Grant efforts as well. As a part of KFMC since the beginning of the REC work in 2010, Erin went from being a practice consultant on the ground floor of the work being done, to Director of Health IT. Her career highlights include consulting for a large HIT firm, supervisor of data quality at a regional medical center, and director of health information management and HIPAA privacy officer for a small community hospital. She now directs the strategies that align the field staff to continue to meet the landmarks still unmet, and will bring the same leadership and expertise to her role as State PTN Lead. 

NCQA Recognition Announcements Made for PCMH Clinics Working with KFMC

All nine of the remaining clinics that have been striving for PCMH recognition with the assistance of Kansas Foundation for Medical Care(KFMC), have been recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). PCMH Certified Content Experts from KFMC have provided guidance to ten primary care practices over the past few years.  To date, eight have received Level 3 recognition and the ninth has received a combination of Level 2 and Level 3 recognition.  The tenth clinic has dropped out of the pilot project due to corporate changes and re-allocation of resources to other major projects within their organization.

To prepare for the NCQA submission process, these nine clinics worked to improve clinical workflows, initiate quality improvement programs and review and document their key clinical processes. In addition, data was collected and extensive audits were done of patient records. Throughout the process, KFMC consultants provided technical assistance, education and tools to assist the clinics.   Four of the nine clinics received funding from the Kansas Academy of Family Physicians (KAFP).

KFMC’s mission is leading innovation to improve the quality, effectiveness and safety of healthcare. Services are designed to further that mission, with PCMH serving as only one example.  When a provider leverages the PCMH philosophy, care is more coordinated, comprehensive and patient-focused. A PCMH practice demonstrates a commitment to quality and safety by engaging in the use of evidence-based medicine and clinical decision support tools to guide shared decision making with patients and families.  The Practice Transformation Network (PTN) Grant that we anticipate being funded for will leverage many of these same skills and certified staff.  An overview of the PTN can be reviewed here.