KENTUCKY REGIONAL EXTENSION CENTER

Kentucky REC and our partners have made the bold commitment to helping 90 percent of eligible clinicians in the state successfully participate in the Quality Payment Program for performance year 2017.

Press Release below:

The Kentucky Health Information Exchange (KHIE), Kentucky Department for Medicaid Services (DMS), Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH), Kentucky Rural Healthcare Information Organization (KRHIO), Qsource — a member of atom Alliance, the Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO) — and the University of Kentucky’s Regional Extension Center (KY REC) have made the bold commitment to helping 90 percent of eligible clinicians in the state successfully participate in the Quality Payment Program for performance year 2017. The Quality Payment Program is new federal legislation altering the way clinicians are reimbursed for their Medicare Part B encounters. Since 2017 is the transition year into the MIPS program, clinicians have multiple reporting options, known as “Pick Your Pace,” to be successful and avoid a negative payment adjustment.

To accomplish this goal, the partners are collaborating with several key stakeholders within Kentucky to spread awareness and provide the necessary resources and technical assistance to ensure clinicians meet Quality Payment Program reporting requirements. KHIE provides technical services that support Quality Payment Program, while Qsource and the KY REC hold the three CENTERS for MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES (CMS) contracts to support clinicians through grant funded technical assistance.

Working in conjunction with KDPH, KHIE provides a broad range of free, technical services to assist Kentucky clinicians with public health reporting and Meaningful Use EHR Incentive Program requirements. KDPH operates multiple public health registries to monitor, prevent, and reduce the risk and incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases, cancer, reportable diseases, and outbreaks within Kentucky. KHIE serves as the backbone for electronic delivery of public health data to KDPH registries. Additional, KHIE services can be used by clinicians to improve coordination of care across healthcare settings. These same KHIE services can be used by clinicians to maximize their Quality Payment Program score. For more information or to sign up for KHIE technical services, you can contact KHIE by sending an email to KHIE@ky.gov or by calling (502) 564-7992.

The KRHIO, formerly NeKY RHIO, offers a wide selection of support in implementing, managing, servicing and supporting health information technology (IT). Operating as a managed IT service provider exclusively for health care organizations, KRHIO works with the technical infrastructure and supporting systems to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of clinics operating systems. This proactive approach allows for a faster, more reliable and longer lasting comprehensive system. Contact our office at 1-855-385-2089 or by email at admin@nekyrhio.org.

Qsource, a member of atom Alliance, oversees the CMS contract to provide free, Quality Payment Program technical assistance to practices comprised of more than 15 clinicians. Clinicians can obtain technical assistance via live chat, email, phone, or through the Providers.Exchange portal. Additionally, as a QIN-QIO contracted by CMS, Qsource partners with Kentucky healthcare organizations on targeted quality improvement initiatives that can be used by clinicians to maximize their performance scores in the Quality Payment Program Quality and Improvement Activities categories. Clinicians can contact Qsource by sending an email to techassist@qsource.org or by calling (800) 528-2655.

The Kentucky REC provides free, Quality Payment Program technical assistance to small, underserved, and rural practices of 15 clinicians or less through a CMS contract establishing the QPP Resource Center™, which provides education, resources, tools, live chat and phone support. Kentucky REC also is participant in the CMS-funded Great Lakes Practice Transformation Network (PTN), a peer-based learning network that supports 1938 providers in Kentucky with practice transformation and preparation for Alternative Payment Models (APMs). To learn more about Kentucky REC’s Quality Payment Program or PTN programs, you can contact Kentucky REC directly by email at kyrec@uky.edu or by calling (888) 597-3234.

To act on this commitment, the partners are also hosting four Healthcare Transformation Survival Seminars to provide in-depth education for healthcare providers and staff on the Quality Payment Program. Additional information and registration is available here.

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