August is Immunization Awareness Month
People of all ages can protect their health with timely vaccination. Help your patients and loved ones stay well this year. Find resources to help promote immunizations and other useful information for providers who immunize at these websites.
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Upcoming Events
Sept. 16-20
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Million Hearts - From 47th to 2nd
OFMQ has led a surge in support from Oklahomans for Million HeartsŪ, a nationwide campaign to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes, taking Oklahoma from 47th to 2nd in the nation in pledges of support. Recently, Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett declared June 11 Million Hearts Day, in recognition of the city's commitment to reducing deaths from heart disease and stroke. Heart disease is one the leading killers in Oklahoma, claiming an estimated 12,600 lives in 2012.
You can play a part in preventing deaths from heart disease in Oklahoma.
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Prevent Avoidable Hospitalizations with a Flu Shot
It's estimated that more than 200,000 people in the United States are hospitalized each year from flu-related illness. Older adults, specifically those 65 years of age and older, typically account for 60% of these flu-related hospitalizations each year and about 90% of flu-related deaths.
A new study conducted by researchers from Vanderbilt University Medical Center and CDC found that flu vaccination reduced the risk of flu-related hospitalization by 71% among adults of all ages and by 77% in study participants 50 years of age and older during the 2011-2012 flu season.
Full story (link to CDC) |
Share Your Care Transitions Success!
Deadline Extended Until August 30
Providers, organizations and communities are encouraged to submit successful innovations in care transitions for OFMQ's Success Story Contest. The contest deadline is extended to August 30. Submit a simple (2 pages or less) write up via our website.
Click here for more information |
OFMQ Offers Continuing Education for Healthcare Professionals
OFMQ is an expert local resource for education and training on clinical and organizational quality improvement topics. Did you know we offer continuing education credits for healthcare professionals?
We are accredited by the Oklahoma State Medical Association to sponsor continuing medical education for physicians. And, through a partnership with Oklahoma Nursing Association, we offer nursing education activities. Continuing education will be required for nursing licensure and renewal in Oklahoma beginning in 2014, and we are fully equipped to provide applicable continuing education around topics that align with healthcare quality improvement priorities.
Watch our events calendar for upcoming continuing education opportunities. |
OFMQ-HIT Partners with the OSU Office of Rural Health to Help Rural Providers
OFMQ-HIT and OSU's Office of Rural Health partnered to bring Health Information Technology education to the front door of rural Oklahoma providers through the summer. Providers and hospitals learned from experts on current HIT topics, including Stage 2 Meaningful Use and HIPPA Audits. The rural Health IT Workshops, held in Ardmore, Enid, Lawton and Okmulgee, reached 100 participants.
 
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OFMQ-HIT Offers Free Monthly Webinars for Oklahoma Providers
Upcoming topics include:
- Stage 2 Meaningful Use
- Clinical Quality Measures
- HIE Vouchers - Next Steps
Click here for schedule and to register |
How to Reduce Antipsychotic Use in Nursing Home Dementia Residents
What do light bulbs, music and angels have in common?
They all can be used to counter sundown syndrome that affects some people with dementia. They are also among the best practices that Oklahoma nursing homes use to reduce antipsychotic medication use.
OFMQ's Journey to Quality Nursing Home Improvement Collaborative is providing breakthrough knowledge transfer from experts in dementia care, geriatric pharmacology and regulatory guidelines to participating nursing homes. Find out how others are achieving success.
Read full story here |
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Caregiver Resources
Free Workshops for Family Caregivers
Three Oklahoma locations August and September
Find answers. Hear from experts about issues such as the safe use of medication, legal issues for caregivers, caregiver self-care and resources for caregivers.
The Family Caregiver Conferences are provided by the OKDHS Aging Services Division in partnership with ASCOG Area Agency on Aging, Grand Gateway Area Agency on Aging and KEDDO Area Agency on Aging.
Click here for more information and schedule of events
Video Podcasts Give Tips for Caregivers
Visit the CMS Caregiver website to view short videos with practical advice for:
- Medication Management
- Planning for a Discharge
- Making a Hospital to Home Transition
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WE WANT TO CONNECT WITH YOU
Yes to Success! Do you have a quality improvement success story? Tell us about it! We may feature your facility in a future issue of Quality Connection. Click here to contact us.
Your Opinion Matters! Tell us how we can make Quality Connection most useful to you. Click here.
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Quality Connection is sent quarterly to health care professionals and others interested in health care quality improvement. If you would like additional information or to comment, visit ofmq.com or e-mail qconnect@ofmq.com.
To access previous issues of Quality Connection, click here.
**E-mail communications sent via Constant Contact are not guaranteed to be accessible to readers who are using assistive technology. If you are experiencing difficulty, please contact OFMQ at qconnect@ofmq.com and we will respond to you promptly.**
**OFMQ does not endorse or guarantee accuracy of content on external websites that may be linked from this newsletter.**
This material was prepared by Oklahoma Foundation for Medical Quality, the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for Oklahoma, 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. OFMQ-1664-OK-0413 |
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