Medicare safety and quality improvement initiatives

As the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) for Oregon, Acumentra Health leads initiatives designed to improve clinical care processes and patient safety for Oregon's Medicare population.

Specific initiatives

Acumentra Health is beginning new Medicare quality improvement initiatives in August 2011. Please visit our Quality Improvement Organization program pages for more information about exciting support for care improvement efforts in hospitals, nursing facilities, and medical offices, and across entire communities.

From 2008 through 2011, Acumentra Health assisted Oregon providers with the following focused initiatives.

Patient safety

• Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) prevention in hospitals
• Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP) to prevent post-surgical infections
• Improvement in heart failure treatment in hospitals
• Pressure ulcer prevention (involving nursing homes selected by Medicare, and nearby hospitals)
• Reduction in use of restraints in nursing homes
• Assist nursing homes selected by Medicare with root cause analysis
• Prescription Drug Safety Project with Medicare Advantage and Part D plans

Preventive care

• Use of electronic health records (EHRs) in physician offices for care management and data reporting
• Improvement in rates of preventive services for Medicare patients

QIO Program publications

CMS developed a series of summaries in PDF format to explain the QIOs’ recent work by setting and by topic.

Overview
Beneficiary Protection
Patient SafetyPrevention
Care Transitions*

*Due to CMS eligibility criteria, Oregon did not have a Care Transitions project, but will have one in 2011–2014 QIO work.

Case review

As Oregon's QIO, Acumentra Health also performs case review to protect the rights of Medicare beneficiaries. Visit the Case Review pages to learn more.