March 2017
brought to you by the Home Health Quality Improvement (HHQI) National Campaign

 

   CAMPAIGN RESOURCES
  
MarchResourcesFeatured Resources for March 2017

Each month, the healthcare industry celebrates several observances to bring increased attention to a variety of health issues at least once per year. HHQI has a wealth of free resources that you can use to help promote these observances among your staff and patients. Below is a list of HHQI's featured resources that support three major health & healthcare-related observances celebrated in March.
NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH


6 Tips to Cut Sodium is a 1-page tool you can share with patients who need to reduce their daily sodium intake.

 

MyPlate examples illustrate the five food groups that are the building blocks for a healthy diet using a familar image -- a place setting for a meal.

Improving Patient Outcomes with Early Interventions to Fill Nutritional Gaps (5/8/13 UP Network teleconference)


PATIENT SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK  
(March 12-18)

Patient Safety Culture: A Foundation for QAPI is a 60-min webinar (recorded 5/17/16) that explains how an organizational structure that prioritizes patient safety is critical for the success of any Quality Assurance & Performance Improvement (QAPI) program. The corresponding HHQI University course includes free CEs for Nurses (ANCC) & Social Workers (NASW).

The Gravity of Falls is a 60-min webinar (recorded 4/29/14) that reviews proper multifactorial assessments and evidence-based prevention strategies.


AMERICAN DIABETES ALERT DAY (March 28)

In This Issue
Prediabetes and Signs & Symptoms of Diabetes  is a 10-min educational multimedia module for patients that provides information on diagnoses, risk factors, and prevention.
 

Do I Have Prediabetes is a PSA campaign (from ADA, AMA & CDC)  that aims to raise awareness of prediabetes, a serious health condition that affects 86 million Americans (more than 1 in 3 adults) and often leads to type 2 diabetes.

MORE RESOURCES

These are just a handful of HHQI's available resources related to health observances in March. For more, visit our new  complete resource library  and use the filters to quickly sort through hundreds of free, high quality resources. You can also visit the following BPIP-specific webpages for pre-filtered lists of related resources:
QAPIUpdated: HHQI's Free QAPI Resources

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published the final rule for Home Health Conditions of Participation (CoP) on January 13, 2017. Key changes in the CoP include a new requirement that home health agencies must have a Quality Assurance & Performance Improvement (QAPI) program -- including Performance Improvement Projects -- in order to receive payments from the Medicare program.

More than a year ago, HHQI developed and posted free QAPI resources based on the language in the draft CoP. Since the release of the final rule, these materials have been reviewed and updated with minimal changes. Primarily, we removed the words "draft" or "proposed" and changed a few words to reflect the final CoP language. We also added Infection Prevention & Control information to the Home Health QAPI Fact Sheet.

All of the QAPI materials are free and can be modified for your organization's use. Free corresponding online courses -- with free continuing education credits -- are located in HHQI University's  Quality Improvement course catalog

 

  CAMPAIGN NEWS
  
AOTMMarch 2017 HHQI Agency of the Month

This month, HHQI recognizes St. Mary's Home Health Service of Huntington, West Virginia for their dedication to improving home health care quality.


Home health agencies that are active in the HHQI National Campaign and closest to the  national, risk-adjusted ACH 20th percentile and/or the national, risk-adjusted Oral Medication Improvement 80th percentile (or better) are eligible for random selection as HHQI Agency of the Month. 

Be in the spotlight.  Nominate your agency today , and if you are selected, your organization will be prominently featured here in HHQI Inside Edition -- which reaches more than 14,000 subscribers -- and on the HHQI website. Your achievement will also be shared via HHQI's social media channels.

  

  CAMPAIGN EVENTS

  
ThirdThursSave the Dates
'Third Thursdays' Event Schedule
 
Home health professionals are busy. Now, there's an understatement. In order to make the most of your limited time, HHQI's three primary online Networking events -- LiveChat, Cardiovascular Learning & Action Network (CardioLAN) webinars, and Underserved Populations (UP) webinars -- will  each be held quarterly. 

Events will rotate to always begin at  2pm (ET) on the third Thursday of the month.

JANUARY 19
APRIL 20
(details below)
JULY 20 OCTOBER 19
LiveChats
FEBRUARY 16
MAY 18 AUGUST 17 NOVEMBER 16
CardioLAN Webinars
MARCH 16
JUNE 15 SEPTEMBER 21 DECEMBER 21

Click on the Networking Event type above for available registration or reminder links. You can also browse our online event calendar  or subscribe to our mailing lists  to receive details (topics, objectives, speaker info, & registration links) as soon as they are available. 
Mar2017CardioLAN
 
Quarterly CardioLAN Webinar  Learn More  Register Now
 
The final rule surrounding the new Home Health Conditions of Participation (CoPs) from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will go into effect July 13, 2017. Home health agencies must comply with these conditions in order to receive payments from the Medicare program.
 
During HHQI's next quarterly Cardiovascular Learning & Action Network (CardioLAN) webinar, the HHQI team will discuss how to align national home health requirements with improving cardiovascular outcomes. Money and time can get tight during this challenging period. Before creating new tools, learn what free evidence-based resources are already available to help you meet the new CoPs' Quality Assurance & Performance Improvement (QAPI) requirements.
Apr2017UPwebinarQuarterly Underserved Populations (UP) Network Webinar
Patient Safety: All in a Day's Work!
 
April 20, 2017 | 2-4pm ET -- The new Home Health Conditions of Participation (CoPs) from the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have been finalized. During this webinar from the Home Health Quality Improvement National Campaign (HHQI), you will learn how to begin preparing a Quality Assurance & Performance Improvement (QAPI) plan related to patient safety that will be required by all CMS-certified home health agencies. This will be a 2-hour interactive event that will include work on a QAPI plan. Presenters are from the Center for Patient Safety.

Register now to save your seat or subscribe to our UPDate or Educational & Networking Opportunities mailing list to get further details as soon as they are available.

  QIN-QIO CORNER
 

In honor of Patient Safety Awareness Week, QIO News looks at how QIN-QIOs are working to improve patient and medication safety, including antibiotic stewardship and reducing opioid abuse. 

In the Patient Safety Q&A feature, CMS' antibiotic stewardship subject matter expert Yoland Jones, RN (pictured at right) shares with QIO News the latest updates about QIN-QIOs efforts to better manage the use of antibiotics in clinical settings.

 

  INDUSTRY NEWS & RESOURCES
  
IndustryEventsUpcoming Industry Webinars, Courses & Other Events

DATE & TIME
EVENT NAME/REGISTRATION
HOSTED/PRESENTED BY
March 16, 2017
12-1pm CT
The Joint Commission
March 16, 2017
3-4pm ET
Long, Intensive Caregiving:
Insights on Dementia Caregivers & the Public Health Response
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; AARP; Alzheimer's Association
March 22, 2017
1-2pm ET
The Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program Expanded Model Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
March 29, 2017
1:30-3pm ET
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
March 30, 2017
12-1pm CT
Preparing for Your First Home Care Survey Webinar Series: Ask the Experts
The Joint Commission
April 12, 2017
12-1pm CT
The Joint Commission
On-demand
(CEs expire 9/2/17)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
On-demand
thru July 23, 2017
Pharmacotherapy for Adults with Alcohol-Use Disorders in Outpatient Settings: A Monograph* Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
On-demand Pink Book Webinar Series*
Overview of the principles of vaccination, general recommendations, immunization strategies for providers, and specific information about vaccine-preventable diseases and the vaccines that prevent them
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
On-demand Open School*
More than 30 online courses in quality, safety, leadership, the Triple Aim, and patient-centered care
Institute for Healthcare Improvement
On-demand
Open Door Forums audio podcasts
If you missed the original live event, you can listen to the recording here
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
On-demand CDC-NDEP
*Continuing education credit is included or available.  
ObservancesCurrent & Upcoming Health-Related Observances

Each month, the healthcare industry puts the spotlight on a variety of health & wellness issues that impact home health patients and professionals. Follow the links below for more information and resources to get involved and help spread awareness. You can also follow HHQI on Facebook , Twitter  and LinkedIn for ongoing related content. Post your favorite photos and free resources & events on our Facebook page, and we'll share them with our followers too!
MARCH 2017

National Nutrition Month

National Kidney Month

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

Social Work Month

World Salt Awareness Week: 
Feb 26-March 4
Dress in Blue Day: March 3

World Kidney Day : March 9

Patient Safety Awareness Week:
March 12-18

Health Care HR Week: March 12-18

American Diabetes Alert Day: March 28

APRIL 2017

KeyDatesHHCKey Dates: Home Health Compare & Star Reports

Preview reports available in CASPER by 1/5/17 4/6/17
Quality of Patient Care Star Rating suppression request deadline 1/20/17 4/21/17
Deadline for submitting missing or corrected data 2/10/17 5/12/17
Home Health Compare updated
April 2017
July 2017

This material was prepared by Quality Insights, the Medicare Quality Innovation Network-Quality 

Improvement Organization supporting the Home Health Quality Improvement National Campaign, 

under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. 

Department of Health and Human Services. The views presented do not necessarily reflect CMS policy. 

Publication number 11SOW-WV-HH-MMD-030617