Florida Medical Quality Assurance Inc. reports that Florida nursing homes are not wasting time getting involved with the recently launched Nursing Home Quality Initiative (NHQI) spearheaded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Florida nursing homes are seeking information on the NHQI and assistance with quality improvement by attending regional workshops conducted by FMQAI, Florida’s Medicare Quality Improvement Organization (QIO).
“There has been a great response and high level of interest from Florida nursing homes for the NHQI,” David Ruscitti of FMQAI said. “The workshops are the first step nursing homes can take to get involved with the NHQI and the quality improvement organization.”
NHQI, a four-pronged effort, includes CMS’ continuing regulatory and enforcement efforts conducted by state survey agencies; new and better consumer information on the quality of care in nursing homes; the building of partnerships and collaboration between QIOs and nursing home industry stakeholders; and new community-based, quality improvement programs offered to nursing homes by Medicare’s QIOs, like FMQAI.
“This initiative gives Florida nursing homes an opportunity to work with the quality improvement organization and to learn more about quality improvement practices,” said Ruscitti.
FMQAI will play a critical role in the federal initiative by providing assistance to Medicare and/or Medicaid-certified nursing homes in Florida and supplying nursing homes with materials, technical support and strategies to upgrade the clinical and organizational systems of their nursing homes. Nursing homes can contact FMQAI for regional workshop information and technical assistance with the NHQI at (866) 800-8767, Ruscitti said.
Another aspect of the NHQI is the public reporting of quality information for individual nursing homes. Consumers can access specific quality measures and nursing home information at Medicare’s consumer Web site, http://www.medicare.gov, and its help line, (800) MEDICARE (800-633-4227).
FMQAI is a contractor with CMS and has been a leader in quality improvement initiatives. Over the years, FMQAI has experienced great success in facilitating improvement in multiple settings such as hospitals, physician offices and managed care. FMQAI will work closely with nursing homes in Florida to identify opportunities for improvement as they relate to the quality measures for the NHQI.
Topics Florida Homeowners
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