Feb 13, 2024
Kentucky’s Stroke Care Journey: Insights from Coverdell
Get ready for an engaging discussion that unveils the transformative impact of the Coverdell Grant on the future of stroke care in the Bluegrass State!
Kentucky REC advisor Lacy Shumway provides a comprehensive overview of the 3-year Coverdell Grant, focusing on its mission to enhance stroke care in collaboration with the CDC. She shares details behind the numbers in Kentucky’s application for the grant: addressing high stroke mortality rates and risk factors.
Explore the seven strategies implemented by the Coverdell Grant, formally known as the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program, including: HTN control; quality improvement; education; and EMS collaboration. Lacy discusses data collection challenges and the critical role of ZIP CODES in the Social Deprivation Index (SDI). Uncover the system-wide impact of the grant, addressing challenges and bridging geographical gaps in stroke care across Kentucky.
Lacy Shumway is the Program Manager for the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program at the Kentucky Regional Extension Center, University of Kentucky. With 13 years in healthcare, Lacy’s expertise includes 7 years as Coordinator for Stroke Program Outreach at Norton Healthcare. She successfully marketed the stroke program and developed a pre-hospital stroke education training offered across Kentucky and Southern Indiana. Lacy serves as Vice-Chair of the Cardiac and Stroke Subcommittee at the Kentucky Board of EMS, and is the Chair of the EMS and Education Committee with the Stroke Encounter Quality Improvement Program (SEQIP). A graduate of Indiana University, Lacy brings a wealth of knowledge to our discussion. Tune in for an informative exploration of stroke care advancements in Kentucky!
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If you need assistance with healthcare quality improvement, contact the Kentucky REC at 859-323-3090 or by email.
Feb 7, 2024
QPP Year 8: FINAL RULE HIGHLIGHTS
Release Date: Wednesday February 21, 2024 @ 12PM ET
Every year, CMS enacts changes to the Quality Payment Program. The CMS 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Final Rule, released in November of 2023, is no exception. Important updates include:
- Finalized 5 new MVPs
- PI Category – expanded the reporting window
- Cost Category – added measures
- Downward adjustments to PFS payment rates
- Expanded SDOH & telehealth services reimbursement
Our Kentucky REC expert advisors are here to share and interpret the most critical updates to MIPS and APM Tracks of the Quality Payment Program. Register and view this on-demand analysis to stay in the know about changes to the program and what they could mean for your practice.
Fill out this brief REGISTRATION FORM to be among the first to receive this webinar recording.
For more information:
CMS Final Rule Press Release
2024 PFS/Quality Payment Program Final Rule
Contact YOUR experts at Kentucky REC with all your QPP, MIPS/MVP, and APM Track questions. We’re here to help: 859-323-3090.
Feb 2, 2024
NEW in 2024! Quality Payment Program Public Webinars Feature On-Demand Access
Kentucky REC Quality advisors are always looking for innovative ways to provide timely information regarding the Quality Payment Program initiatives to our healthcare audience. We know that providers and staff, from small offices to large health systems, face many demands on their time throughout the day. To best meet your needs, our QPP focused Public Webinars will now be released periodically throughout 2024 for your viewing convenience. Your access to expert content will remain the same, just with the added flexibility of On Demand Viewing to best meet your needs.
Want to be the FIRST TO KNOW about an upcoming QPP Public webinar? Fill out this brief REGISTRATION FORM.
QPP Public Webinar On-Demand Release Schedule for 2024*:
FEBRUARY 2024: QPP Final Rule Highlights
MAY 2024: QPP Quality and Cost Performance Category Overview
JULY 2024: QPP Promoting Interoperability (PI) and Improvement Activities(IA) Performance Category Overview
NOVEMBER 2024: Year in Review Roundtable
Same great content, your way, on your schedule!
*Client-Only QPP Webinars will continue to remain LIVE and will transition to the Zoom Webinar Platform for 2024
Contact YOUR Experts at the Kentucky REC for all your QPP, MIPS/MVP, and APM Track questions. We’re here to help. Call us at 859-323-3090.
Jan 25, 2024
QPP Year 8: ALL ABOUT QPP REPORTING OPTIONS*
Tuesday February 13, 2024 @ 12PM ET
CMS’s Quality Payment Program continues to evolve each program year. In the current landscape, there are more avenues than ever available for reporting your Eligible Clinician’s data. All these choices can be overwhelming, and make it challenging to determine the best reporting method for your practice.
Join our team of experienced advisors as we dive into the intricacies of QPP reporting options for both Program Year 2023 (PY23) & Program Year 2024 (PY24).
We will guide you through the diverse options of data collection and submission methods for each Performance Category, and review the different levels of submission for MIPS. This will give you the facts to make informed decisions that align with your practice’s goals, and shed light on essential considerations for the various MVP reporting levels.
Already a QPP client or interested in becoming one? As a client, you receive exclusive access to our analysis of all aspects of the Quality Payment Program. To speak with the team on how we can best support you, feel free to contact us HERE.
Open to the public webinars will be available in 2024, highlighting major updates and implications for eligible clinicians and practices.
Mark your calendars for “All About QPP Reporting Options” on Tuesday, February 13 at 12pm EST.
Contact YOUR Experts at the Kentucky REC for all your QPP, MIPS/MVP, and APM Track questions. We are here to help. Call us at 859-323-3090.
*This webinar is for Kentucky REC contracted QPP clients only. If you are interested in this topic and would like to learn more about becoming a client, please contact us at (859) 323-3090 or email us at KYRec@uky.edu. We aim to be your trusted healthcare advisor!
Dec 29, 2023
Kentucky REC Premier Partner Award: Kentucky Department for Public Health
The Kentucky Department for Public Health, and Sue Thomas-Cox especially, has had a long, successful history of collaboration with the Kentucky REC. Together we support technology innovation, performance improvement and health care transformation for health care systems and organizations across Kentucky.
Our most recent partnership to improve chronic disease outcomes would not have been possible without the confidence, trust and mutual respect between the Kentucky Department for Public Health and the Kentucky REC. Kentucky REC currently works with the Department for Public Health on numerous grant projects including Colorectal Cancer, Heart Disease and Stroke, Diabetes Management, Diabetes Prevention, Asthma, and Community Health Workers. Each of these projects strive to improve health outcomes and address barriers for patients in Kentucky.
Sue Thomas Cox is the BRANCH MANAGER of the CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION/HEALTH PROMOTION, Kentucky Department for Public Health, Division of Prevention and Quality Improvement. She has been instrumental in the success of all of our work with DPH. Congratulations to the Kentucky Department for Public Health as our Premier Partner!
Dec 29, 2023
Kentucky REC advisors are proud to work with many organizations on quality improvement programs and initiatives such as the Quality Payment Program and Patient Centered Medical Home and Specialty Practice. Awardees were chosen by their advisor team and presentations were made at our Annual Conference. We awarded the following organizations in 2023 for their exemplary performance.
The Heart of the Patient Award: Excellent Dedication to Patient-Centric Care
The Heart of the Patient Award: Excellent Dedication to Patient-Centric Care & the Patient-Centered Medical Home – Little Flower Clinic
Little Flower Clinic achieved initial PCMH recognition in 2017 with the Kentucky REC’s assistance from one of our PCMH Certified Content Experts (PCMH CCE). Since then they have provided high-quality patient-centered care for their community; while realizing improved health outcomes and workflow efficiencies for their patients and staff.
This past Spring they completed and passed their Annual Reporting requirements and received the NCQA Distinction in Behavioral Health. This distinction assists Primary Care practices to better integrate behavioral healthcare into their organization and acknowledges organizations that excel in this area.
Not only did Little Flower Clinic accomplish all of the previous mentioned accolades, but they also underwent an NCQA audit, passing with flying colors, while dealing with the devastating flood in their area. During that time, Little Flower Clinic had several staff members’ homes destroyed, with no electric or phone service for a period of time, and they continued to provide for their patients and community with food, water, clothing and hygiene items.
The Kentucky REC would like to recognize and award Little Flower Clinic with the PCMH client award for their work in the PCMH model of care and extraordinary commitment to their patients.
Outstanding Achievement Award: Commitment to Quality Improvement & QPP-MIPS
J. David Outland’s practice is a single provider dermatology clinic in Western Kentucky that has submitted to the Quality Payment Program as a MIPS Eligible Clinician since the inception of the program.
Dr. Outland’s staff first began participation in the QPP through the use of claims submission. As the program requirements changed and became increasingly more complex, Dr. Outland contacted the Kentucky Regional Extension Center for assistance in navigating this complexity. Dr. Outland and his staff have successfully navigated the program using a registry and without the use of an electronic health record system.
The practice continues to achieve a perfect score each year and receives the maximum payment adjustment available. We believe that recognizing this practice for the hard work required to assure data entered into the registry is accurate, validated and meets his practice goals is important and their work is exemplary.
The efforts of Dr. Outland and his staff proves that other clinics of similar size and settings can be successful in avoiding payment reductions while also complying with CMS’s reporting requirements for the Quality Payment Program.
The Kentucky REC would like to recognize and award J. David Outland with the QPP-MIPS IA Small Practice award for their steadfast work in Quality Improvement and the QPP/MIPS track, and their overwhelming commitment to their community and patients.
