KHC and KFMC to Partner for the CMS QIN-QIO 13th Scope of Work in Kansas
Kansas Healthcare Collaborative (KHC) and KFMC Health Improvement Partners (KFMC) are excited to announce a new quality improvement collaboration in Kansas. KHC and KFMC are working together with other health care partners in the region to bid on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO) 13th Scope of Work (SOW) in Kansas.
What is a QIN-QIO?
Required by statute, the QIN-QIO Program is one of the largest federal programs dedicated to improving the effectiveness and quality of health care services delivered to people with Medicare. The CMS contracts with organizations like KHC and KFMC to carry out the program mission.
Future of the QIN-QIO Program
CMS updates the QIN-QIO Program each contract cycle to ensure it meets provider and community needs and moves the dial on quality and safety. CMS has recently announced changes to the program, including the formation of seven QIN-QIO regions, combining setting-specific programs into one cross-setting contract and securing greater alignment with key federal strategies for quality and health equity. Though Kansas will be part of a larger region of states, KHC and KFMC are working together with an innovative national partner to provide the boots on ground technical assistance in Kansas should we be successful in our bid for the CMS QIN-QIO 13th SOW.
Together, KHC and KFMC will engage our communities to plan, design and implement a transformed QIN-QIO Program, with a focus on:
- Innovative and sustainable approaches to better care delivery, quality improvement and patient safety
- Engaging with and developing health care workforce and leadership
- Applying a rural health and health equity lens to QIN-QIO activities, including culturally tailored and responsive interventions and working with culturally specific and community-based organizations
- Implementation and optimization of new technology to make better use of data in quality improvement and community health initiatives, and leverage technology to expand workforce capacity and coordinate care
Participation in the CMS QIN-QIO program is fully voluntary. You can read about the QIN-QIO Program on the CMS website or qioprogram.org.
What’s Next?
KHC and KFMC will continue to plan for our application, expected in the first quarter 2024. As we learn more about the application process, we may be reaching out with requests for partnership or other ways you can support our application. If you have any questions or would like to discuss the future of the CMS QIN-QIO work in Kansas, please contact Malea Hartvickson, mhartvickson@khconline.org, or Sarah Irsik-Good, sgood@kfmc.org.
