Tell us YOUR story!
You've heard from us, now we want to hear from you! What activities or interventions are you and your team currently working on that might help others in their work? Are there lessons you have learned along the way - both successes and failures - from your work with patients, family members, or providers that you are willing to share?
Please email us and briefly describe in a few sentences your story.
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QualityInsight
is published four times a year by HealthInsight, a non-profit community resource for healthcare improvement since 1974, with offices in Salt Lake City, Las Vegas and Albuquerque.
Your contributions of articles to this periodical are encouraged. Contact Dana Hawes at dhawes@healthinsight.org for additional information.
This material was prepared by HealthInsight under a contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The contents presented do not necessarily reflect CMS policy. 10SOW-UT-2012-00-28
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Developmental Facility Reduces Medication Errors in the Face of Adversity
Rebecca Durham, Project Coordinator, HealthInsight Utah
What do you do when medication error reports don't match the good work you think you're doing to keep patients safe? This is the quandary a developmental facility found itself in a year ago. Despite the best efforts of dedicated caregivers who truly care, too many medication errors were occurring.
Any time medication is prescribed and administered to patients, the potential for error exists. At this particular facility the potential is even higher given the complexity of the patients it serves. Read more...
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HealtHIE Nevada's Health Information Exchange Work |
A Demonstration of HealtHIE Nevada's Health Information Exchange for a United States Congressman
Deborah Huber, Executive Director, HealthInsight Nevada
Congressman Joe Heck (R, NV-3) is a physician with an extensive background working in emergency medical care at the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada as well as in settings related to his work as a Colonel in the U. S. Army Reserves - serving 3 active duty terms, including a deployment to Iraq.
HealthInsight Nevada staff recently met with the Congressman to discuss a variety of health care initiatives underway in his district and across the state of Nevada. Visit www.healthienevada.org to read more
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Case Study: HealtHIE Nevada's Health Information Exchange at Work
Beth Scully, Project Coordinator, HealthInsight Nevada
HealtHIE Nevada is piloting a patient consent and virtual health record HIE process in two clinics in northern Nevada. Terry L. McCaskill, M.D., recently had this situation occur after just a few weeks in the pilot. Read more...
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Verbal Reports at Transitions of Care
Larry Garrett, PHD, MPH, RN, Project Coordinator, HealthInsight Utah
Several Utah hospitals, home health agencies, and skilled nursing facilities have engaged in a partnership with HealthInsight, the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) in Utah, to provide "verbal reports" between healthcare facilities at transitions of care. Transitions of care are a known area of concern and problems with the transition are a contributing factor to hospital readmission. It is believed by many, including the Joint Commission, that transitions of care that involve interpersonal communication (i.e., verbal reports) instead of only written or electronic communication will reduce unnecessary hospital readmissions. Although the readmission rates in Utah are the lowest in the nation, we believe verbal reports will further reduce our readmission rate. Read more...
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Nevada HEN Hospitals Show Largest Reduction in 30-Day All-Cause Readmission Rates
Jill Kreston, Healthcare Analyst, HealthInsight Nevada
Tim Voskuil, Healthcare Analyst, HealthInsight New Mexico
Recently published data by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) showed that among the Medicare Fee-for-Service population the cohort of 25 acute care and critical access hospitals in the Nevada Hospital Engagement Network (NV HEN) reduced their 30-day All-Cause Readmissions rate by more than 9% in 3 years. In 2010, the Nevada HEN hospitals had a readmission rate of 19.6%, but in the 4th quarter of 2012 this rate had decreased to 17.8% (Fig. 1) - this was the largest rate decrease among the other 25 HENs nationwide! In fact, this HealthInsight-led reduction rate in hospital readmissions was almost a third larger than the second best reduction rate of 6.3%. Read more...
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Privacy and Security - More Important than Ever
Carlyn M. Choate, MSHI, CHPS, Project Coordinator, HealthInsight
HealthInsight and the Utah Regional Extension Center want all physicians to be apprised of the complexity of meeting the requirements for Core Measure 15- Privacy and Security. As we know from our Medicaid database breach experience in Utah, organizations, physicians, covered entities, and their business associates must maintain vigilance in protecting health information. Taking these requirements seriously will ensure Meaningful Use payments and protect practices, patients, and organizations from potential breaches. Read more...
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A New and Improved QualityInsight for Our Readers in Nevada and Utah is Coming This Summer
Get the latest news and stories that relate to your community. QualityInsight will be splitting into two newsletters! You will still receive the latest news, articles, and events that QualityInsight provides but with a stronger focus on your state.
Continue to learn from your neighboring states activities and best practices. The new format will also include HealthInsight corporate news and highlights from the other HealthInsight states.
Look for it in your inbox in September!
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HealthInsight Utah Events
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Physician Quality Reporting System Webinar
When: August 8th, 2013
Time: TBD
There is no cost to participate. Questions? Contact Maggie McCann at
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Stage 2 Meaningful Use Webinar
When: September 19th, 2013
Time: TBD
There is no cost to participate. Questions? Contact Maggie McCann at
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When: October 16th, 2013
Time: TBD
There is no cost to participate. Questions? Contact Maggie McCann at
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HealthInsight Nevada Events
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Nevada HEN Plenary Sessions
"Taking Action; Making a Difference"
Where: Sunset Station (Santa Maria Conference Room)
Henderson, NV
When: July 18th, 2013
Where: St.Mary's Education Hall
Reno, NV
For more information, please contact Lori Isaacs at LIsaacs@healthinsight.org.
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Facilitating Dignity in Dementia Care
Beginning this July, we are starting a collaborate series on dementia care. The full benefits from the collaborative series are realized when your facility is able to attend all three of the learning sessions. Leadership is asked to identify a core team of individuals who attend the in-person events and bring the information back to the facility to implement during the action periods that follow each learning session.
Check out our event flyer for more information.
When: Tuesday, July 9, 2013 from 8:00 to 3:00 PM
Where: Brady Industries
7055 Lindell Rd
Las Vegas, NV 89118
When: Thursday, July 11, 2013 from 8:00 to 3:00 PM
Where: REMSA Education
400 Edison Way, Suite B
Reno, NV 8950
For more information, please contact Sabrina Drass at 702-948-0307 or sdrass@healthinsight.org. There is no cost to participate. To register go to http://nvhca.org.
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