Physician Offices
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) developed the Physician Office component of the Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) Program to improve care for Medicare consumers in physician practices. KFMC educates and supports staff in adopting more effective, person-centered processes, designing efficient systems, implementing an organizational culture of quality, integrating health information technology into their office, and reporting results. The strategies are designed to accelerate the rate of quality improvement and result in improved patient outcomes for Medicare consumers who receive care in physician practices. Through these methods, KFMC helps physician practices to improve patient outcomes for people on Medicare with chronic diseases and to increase preventive healthcare services.
Since August 1, 2008 KFMC has worked with a select group of adult primary care physician practices in Kansas on a project titled “CHEQ-IT, Computers Help Ensure Quality – Information Technology” to improve rates of breast cancer and colorectal cancer screening and influenza and pneumococcal immunizations. These practices have already implemented an electronic health record (EHR) certified by a certifying body recognized by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. KFMC will educate each participating practice on using its EHR capabilities to improve rates of screening and immunizations.
The priority topics for the physician office setting are:
- An assessment of care processes
- Promoting care management processes for preventive services using EHRs
- Collecting and submitting aggregate data which will populate a national data repository
- Monitoring mammography, CRC screens, influenza and pneumococcal immunizations