By KHI NEWS SERVICE

TOPEKA — Officials with the Kansas Foundation for Medical Care (KFMC) announced today that the Topeka-based health care quality improvement organization is joining with similar nonprofits in Nebraska and the Dakotas to form the Great Plains Quality Innovation Network.

The new multi-state organization has been awarded a contract by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to work with hospitals and other medical providers on a range of initiatives, including those aimed at reducing avoidable patient readmissions and hospital-acquired infections and promoting the effective use of health information technology. The contract award was announced by CMS officials late last week.

“While this contract reflects a regional approach to quality improvement initiatives, KFMC will continue providing services and working with providers in Kansas to offer quality improvement expertise, education and technical assistance,” said Rebecca Bailey, a KFMC spokesperson.

The other quality improvement organizations in the new network are CIMRO of Nebraska, North Dakota Health Care Review Inc. and the South Dakota Foundation for Medical Care.

The Great Plains network will be one of more than a dozen regional networks across the nation working under the new CMS contracts.

“Quality Improvement Organizations (QIOs) have always supported beneficiaries with a nationwide infrastructure dedicated to improving the quality of health care”, said CMS Chief Medical Officer Patrick Conway. “Under this new QIO program structure, I am excited about the positive impact QIOs will have, working in collaboration with national and local organizations. CMS and QIOs are building momentum in transforming health care delivery by supporting learning systems, improving efficiency and value, and achieving better health outcomes for beneficiaries.”