Improving Hypertension _ Diabetes Control and Prevention
  
An e-NEWSLETTER from Quality Insights                                                                                     March 17, 2017

In This Issue
DIABETES ALERT DAY® OFFERS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO PROMOTE DIABETES AWARENESS  

alert day diabetesAmerican Diabetes Association's Diabetes Alert Day®, which is a day to sound the alarm about the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in American adults by asking America to take the American Diabetes Association Type 2 Diabetes Risk Testis March 28, 2017.

Healthcare organizations across the country are hosting Diabetes Alert Day ® events to raise awareness about this disease. Here in Pennsylvania, one such event is the Diabetes Alert Day® Screening being held at the Health Connections Office in Warminster, PA. People can register online to reserve an appointment for a free screening to f ind out whether they are at low, moderate or high risk for developing Type 2 diabetes. Click here for more information.

It's not too late to host a similar event at your practice or to download and share Diabetes Alert Day® materials with your patients. Click here to access those resources.
NATIONAL DIABETES PREVENTION PROGRAM FOCUSES ON PATIENTS WITH PREDIABETES

patient nationalThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC)  National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) is a partnership of public and private organizations working to reduce the growing problem of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.

The partners work to make it easier for people with prediabetes to participate in evidence-based, affordable, and high-quality lifestyle change programs to reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes and improve their overall health.

Visit the the CDC's website to learn more about the various components of the National DPP program, including:
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help patients find diabetes events in your area

helpThe American Diabetes Association (ADA) holds hundreds of events throughout the United States every year. These events help raise critical funds, increase awareness about diabetes, and support the search for a cure. 

Encourage your patients to visit the  ADA Calendar of Events page on its website and use the search function to locate events in your area.

Connected Care: New Educational Initiative to Raise Awareness of Chronic Care Management

Doctor Listens to Heart connectedT he Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH) and the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy at the Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA) introduced Connected Care, an educational initiative to raise awareness of the benefits of chronic care management (CCM) services for Medicare beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions and to provide health care professionals with support to implement CCM programs. Connected Care is a nationwide effort within fee-for-service Medicare that includes a focus on racial and ethnic minorities as well as rural populations, who tend to have higher rates of chronic disease.
 
Two-thirds of Medicare beneficiaries have two or more chronic conditions, and one-third have four or more chronic conditions. Many health care professionals are providing these patients with chronic care management, non-face-to-face services such as reviewing test results or coordinating with other providers, but are not aware of the separate payments under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and are not receiving the full separate payments that are now available for CCM services under Medicare Part B.
 
"This important initiative builds on our efforts to help providers care for patients with multiple chronic conditions. We are excited to be working with the Health Resources and Services Administration to reach vulnerable populations," said Cara James, PhD, Director of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health.
 
As part of the Connected Care education initiative, CMS and HRSA or FORHP developed new resources to help educate patients and provide information for health care professionals. Some of the resources include:
  • A toolkit for health care professionals with detailed information about CCM, and resources to help providers implement CCM;
  • A partner toolkit that includes downloadable resources and suggested activities to get involved in the Connected Care initiative; and
  • Patient education resources, including a poster and postcard that can be used in a clinical or community setting.
All resources are available online and can be ordered at no cost.
 
"We are thrilled to be joining CMS to educate health care professionals and patients about the value of chronic care management with the goal of improving overall patient care for millions of Americans and reducing overall health care costs," said Tom Morris, Associate Administrator, Federal Office of Rural Health Policy at the Health Resources and Services Administration.
 
By offering CCM services, health care professionals can deliver the coordinated care their patients need and deserve and help patients stay on track by getting support between visits.    
 
Click here for more information on how to get involved with the CCM initiative and learn more about chronic care management.
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CMSMIPSMany of you will be attesting for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive programs for 2016 and preparing for changes that are forthcoming with the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS)/Quality Payment Program. This information will be of value to you and Quality Insights is poised to assist you as you navigate the various programs.

Please find the most recent MIPS/Quality Payment Program announcements from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) below.    
CMS Publishes Updated eCQM Table for Eligible Clinicians & Eligible Professionals for 2017 Performance Period

doc at computer tableThe Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published an updated table accompanying the 2016 electronic clinical quality measure (eCQM) specifications (published in April 2016) for the 2017 performance period. The updated table, titled Electronic Clinical Quality Measures for Eligible Professionals and Eligible Clinicians can be found on the eCQM Library Page and the Electronic Clinical Quality Improvement (eCQI) Resource Center.
 
This update removes the previous meaningful use domains and now aligns with the domains listed in the Calendar Year 2016 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, as well as the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Advanced Alternative Payment Model (APM) tracks of the Quality Payment Program.
 
Questions regarding the measure table or domains should be reported to the ONC CQM Issue Tracker available here.
contact information

For more details about the Improving Hypertension and Diabetes Care & Prevention project, please email Rhonda Dodson or call 1.800.642.8686, Ext. 7711.
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