HealthInsight Awarded Two CMS ESRD Network Contracts
HealthInsight, a nonprofit, community-based health care consulting organization, is one of seven entities who were recently awarded major federal contracts from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to improve quality and access of care for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients.
Salt Lake City, Utah, January 13, 2016 (Newswire.com) - HealthInsight, a nonprofit, community-based health care consulting organization, is one of seven entities who were recently awarded major federal contracts from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to improve quality and access of care for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. CMS awarded $110 million in combined ESRD funding to six Quality Innovation Networks Quality Improvement Organizations (QIN-QIOs) and one independent entity for five-year contracts, beginning in 2016. The two contracts – ESRD Network 16 and 18 – awarded to HealthInsight will involve ESRD work in six western states.
HealthInsight, the Northwest Renal Network 16 (serving Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington) and Network 18 serving Southern California, along with stakeholders in both regions have joined to form the HealthInsight ESRD Alliance. The Alliance brings together the strengths of all partners to ensure broader impact and the best quality health care for ESRD beneficiaries.
"As we begin this new contract cycle, we are looking forward to continuing our role as change agents in the ESRD community engaging patients, practitioners, health care providers and other stakeholders," said Stephanie Hutchinson, executive director, HealthInsight ESRD Alliance. "We take our responsibility seriously to protect patients' access to and quality of dialysis care in both ESRD Networks as we serve 55,507 patients in 569 dialysis facilities."
Stephanie Hutchinson, Executive Director, HealthInsight ESRD Alliance
”As we begin this new contract cycle, we are looking forward to continuing our role as change agents in the ESRD community engaging patients, practitioners, health care providers and other stakeholders,” said Stephanie Hutchinson, executive director, HealthInsight ESRD Alliance. “We take our responsibility seriously to protect patients’ access to and quality of dialysis care in both ESRD Networks as we serve 55,507 patients in 569 dialysis facilities.”
The ESRD Networks were developed to improve cost-effectiveness, ensure quality of care, and encourage kidney transplantation and home dialysis. Under the CMS contract, the Alliance will also work to improve pneumococcal and hepatitis B vaccination rates in dialysis patients, reduce hospital-acquired infections and hospital admissions among other improvements in care for people with ESRD.
As a QIN-QIO, HealthInsight leads health care quality improvement activities for the Medicare Program under contract awarded with CMS in four western states. The organization works with health care providers, stakeholders and patient communities to transform care and improve care delivery and patient outcomes.
“The ESRD QIN-QIO collaboration will provide opportunities to increase the effectiveness of both programs,” said Marc Bennett, president and CEO of HealthInsight. “By working together, we will identify areas of synergy and share best practices that will allow us to be more effective in how we execute the ESRD and QIN-QIO activities. This collaboration will work toward transforming health care to achieve improved quality, safety and value for ESRD patients and to assure consistent, exceptional care.”
About HealthInsight
HealthInsight is a recognized leader in convening and partnering with communities to improve health and health care by advancing quality, efficiency and value for patients and providers. We are leading experts in quality improvement; transparency and public reporting; use of health information technology; engaging patients to improve their health; and redesigning how care is paid for and delivered. Learn more at healthinsight.org and follow us on Twitter @HealthInsight_.
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This material was prepared by HealthInsight, the Medicare Quality Innovation Network -Quality Improvement Organization for Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Utah, under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The contents presented do not necessarily reflect CMS policy. 11SOW-CORP-15-51