Imagine a healthcare system where every person receives the right care every time, and where staff and providers have the tools and resources to deliver that care. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is helping to realize this vision through FMQAI, the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for Florida (QIO).
FMQAI, in conjunction with other QIOs across the country, is working to assist home health agencies and staff transform the way care is delivered. FMQAI's home health team specialists will employ a variety of strategies and tactics aimed at accelerating improvement in healthcare quality. Your QIO is committed to helping home health agencies deliver care that is consistently safe, effective, efficient, timely, person-centered, and equitable.
In working with home health agencies, FMQAI is focusing on reducing acute care hospitalization based on national averages. In addition, your QIO will focus on ways to:
Improve the outcomes of the publicly reported measures of care, including dyspnea (state focus), bathing, ambulation, transferring, pain interfering with activity, status of surgical wounds, urinary incontinence, discharge to community, and management of oral medications
Implement the use of telehealth technology to reduce hospitalizations and improve other outcomes.
Assess clients needs for receiving influenza and pneumococcal immunizations
Assess your agency's organizational practices and systems, including staff satisfaction, and develop quality improvement activities to support culture change based on the results.
FMQAI is working with a majority of Florida’s home health agencies to reduce the rates of avoidable hospitalizations and increase the rates for patients with dyspnea (shortness of breath).
FMQAI, working under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is also working to:
- Improve the outcomes of the publicly reported measures of care; including bathing, ambulation, transferring, pain interfering with activity, status of surgical wounds, urinary incontinence, discharge to community, and management of oral medications
- Implement the use of telehealth technology to reduce hospitalizations and improve other outcomes.
- Increase the rates for patients for receiving influenza and pneumococcal immunizations assessments
- Improve an agency’s organizational practices and systems - including staff satisfaction and develop quality improvement activities to support culture change based on the results.
To view quality measures for Florida’s home health agencies, visit Home Health Compare at www.medicare.gov by scrolling down the page and clicking on "Compare Home Health Agencies in Your Area," or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
