Meet the Team: Anne Myrka
Meet Anne Myrka RPh, MAT, Senior Director of Drug Safety and Chronic Disease Management for IPRO. Anne has been in the healthcare field for 30 years. Her experience includes roles […]
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CMS National Training Program Update
Medicare Open Enrollment is Here Open Enrollment is from October 15–December 7. It’s a time to explore your Medicare coverage options and decide if you want to join, switch, or
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Biden-Harris Administration Oversight of Nation’s Poorest-Performing Nursing Homes
Changes to CMS’ Special Focus Facilities program will increase scrutiny, hold facilities accountable for substandard safety and quality, and improve care for residents As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s continued commitment
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Boosters and Beyond: Rethinking Readmissions
In this series, we will review factors that can contribute to readmissions and strategies to address these factors. Some topics to be discussed are C.Diff, Sepsis, UTIs, Dementia, Falls, Wound
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Influenza Vaccination to Help Protect All Adults
Date: Monday, October 24, 2022 Start Time: 3:00 – 4:00 pm ET Join the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) for a webinar on the importance of annual vaccination to
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Biden-Harris Administration Kicks Off Medicare Open Enrollment with Lower Premiums, Improved Benefits for 2023
Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, enrollees will have lower costs for insulin and free ACIP-recommended vaccines starting in 2023 People with Medicare should review their coverage and drug and
Health Equity Updates: October 2022 Newsletter
View the new edition of our health equity newsletter featuring news, events, and tools to support your efforts in eliminating health care disparities within your communities. This month, a focus
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National Nursing Home Stakeholder Call
Date: Thursday, October 6, 2022 Start Time: 4:00 pm ET Please join the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Centers for Disease Control for a National Nursing Home
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Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic
On September 23, 2022, the CDC updated its infection prevention and control recommendations for healthcare personnel across all settings during the COVID-19 pandemic. A summary of recent changes includes: Updated
Antibiotic Stewardship: Quick Wins for Improving Duration of Therapy
November 8, 2022, 1 – 2 PM EST. Antibiotic Stewardship (AS) remains a national priority aimed at optimizing antibiotic use to effectively treat infections, protect patients from harms caused by
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CMS Long-Term Services and Supports Open Door Forum
Date: Tuesday, October 4, 2022 Start Time: 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM Eastern Time (ET); Please dial-in at least 15 minutes before call start time. This call will be Conference
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CMS Physicians, Nurses & Allied Health Professionals Open Door Forum
Date: Wednesday, September 28, 2022 Start Time: 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM Eastern Time (ET); Please dial-in at least 15 minutes before call start time. This call will be Conference
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Meet the Team: Melanie Ronda
Meet Melanie Ronda, MSN, RN, Assistant Director of Health Care Quality Improvement, Nursing Home Lead for NY, NJ, and Ohio, and the Infection Preventionist for IPRO. Melanie has been in
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Meet the Team: Laura Benzel
Meet Laura Benzel from Qlarant, the Health Equity Lead for the IPRO QIN-QIO and an IPRO Health Equity Task Force member. Laura has ten years of experience working on equity-related
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Meet the Team: Maureen Marsella
Meet Maureen Marsella, RN, BS, CCM. Maureen works for Healthcentric Advisors, a member of the IPRO QIN-QIO. A former hospital Joint Commission and Regulatory Compliance Manager, Certified Case Manager and
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CMS OMH Honors National Hispanic Heritage Month
This year, as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH) honors National Hispanic Heritage Month, we will be focusing on the nation’s 60.5 million
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Clostridioides difficile: Sharing Best Practices and Outcomes Achieved
October 5, 2022 1 – 2 PM EST Pharmacy Continuing Education offered by CT Pharmacist Association The 2019 CDC Threat Report lists Clostridioides difficile (C.difficile) as an urgent threat. There
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Clostridioides difficile: Update on diagnosis and treatment in the acute and post acute care settings and Reflections from a Clostridioides difficile infection survivor
Speakers: Ghinwa Dumyati, MD, Director Communicable Diseases Surveillance and Prevention Program, University of Rochester Medical Center Mary E. Curtin Pierce, MSN, BSN, RN Infection Preventionist, Reflections from a C.difficile Survivor. In this session,
Medicare Open Enrollment Period Bootcamp 2022 Webinars
Save the dates to join CMS as they share Medicare Program updates and resources to help those who assist people with Medicare make informed decisions about their 2023 health care
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Do You Have a Plan?
September is National Preparedness Month. This observance is intended to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies, and engaging providers, community-based organization and community residents to
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Health Equity Updates: September Newsletter
View the new edition of our health equity newsletter featuring news, events, and tools to support your efforts in eliminating health care disparities within your communities.
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August Infection Prevention Question of the Month
Melanie Ronda, RN, MSN, host of our weekly IP3 Office Hours, gets many questions each week. Here’s one that may resonate with you: Q: What are the changes with enhanced barrier precautions
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A Quality Measure Case Study: High Risk Pressure Ulcers
In this video, you will learn to understand your quality measure data and build an effective data review process.
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SAMHSA Webinar: Ending Homelessness-Developing Partnerships between HUD Continuums of Care and Disability, Aging, and Health Services Providers, August 29, 2022, 3-4 PM, ET
Through its Continuum of Care (CoC) program, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides funding for efforts by nonprofit organizations, states and tribes, and local governments to
IP3 Resources: Vaccination Updates
As part of the IPRO QIN-QIO’s efforts to increase knowledge on infection prevention, every Thursday we offer IP3 – Infection Prevention by an Infection Preventionist for Infection Preventionists. The intent
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CMS Updates the Nursing Home Requirements of Participation: What Pharmacists and Facilities Need to Know
September 21, 2022 12 – 1 pm ET Live Webinar September 28, 2022 12 – 1 pm ET Recording including Live Q&A with Presenters In reaction to concerns for the
CMS Discontinuing the Use of Certificates of Medical Necessity and Durable Medical Equipment Information Forms to Increase Efficiency and Reduce Burden for Clinicians, DME Suppliers, and Beneficiaries
As part of its ongoing efforts to increase access to care and to reduce unnecessary administrative burden for stakeholders, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will be discontinuing
Using Data to Drive Improvement
Learn how to understand your CASPER data and build an effective data review process.
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Great Shot! Make Your Vaccine Campaign a Slam Dunk
August is Immunization Awareness Month. Make sure your team is armed with tools and strategies to launch an effective vaccine campaign. Join us for a one-hour virtual Learning Action Network
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Identifying and Supporting a PFE Leader in Your Hospital
The June PFE Learning and Action Event focuses on the roles, responsibilities, and benefits of a dedicated PFE leader in both small and large hospitals. This event explores how to
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August 28 is National Dog Appreciation Day!
There are so many reasons to love dogs, but did you know these fascinating facts about dogs and their positive effects on healthcare? Nursing home residents with dementia who interacted
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National Immunization Awareness Month
During August, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH) recognizes National Immunization Awareness Month. Immunizations, often referred to as vaccinations, vaccines, or shots, may
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August is National Immunization Awareness Month
August is National Immunization Awareness Month, and it is a great time to encourage all healthcare providers to be vaccinated and promote vaccination. Recommendation from a healthcare professional is the
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CMS Enhances Nursing Home Rating System with Staffing and Turnover Data
Updates to Five-Star Quality Rating System Will Increase Transparency and Improve Quality in Nursing Homes The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has launched its enhanced Nursing Home Five-Star Quality Rating
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Health Equity Updates: August 2022 Health Equity Newsletter
View the new edition of our health equity newsletter featuring news, events, and tools to support your efforts in eliminating health care disparities within your communities.
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Hospital Health Equity Updates: August 2022 Newsletter
View the latest hospital health equity news, events, and tools to support your efforts in eliminating health care disparities within your health system and communities.
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Integrating Patients and Families on Quality Improvement (QI) Teams
This resource will help hospital leaders and staff understand: (1) how patient and family members can contribute to a QI team as an advisor; (2) how to recruit patient and
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CMS Proposes Rule to Advance Health Equity, Improve Access to Care, and Promote Competition and Transparency
Hospital Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgical Center Proposed Rule Proposes Payment Policies for Rural Emergency Hospitals and Behavioral Health Services The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is proposing actions
Boosters & Beyond: Building QI Resilience
Boosters & Beyond: Building QI Resilience! Recently, the IPRO Nursing Home Quality Improvement (QI) Team has received an increasing number of requests for QI support and education. Many administrators and
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Hospital Health Equity Updates: July Updates
View the latest hospital health equity news, events, and tools to support your efforts in eliminating health care disparities within your health system and communities.
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Moving Forward Using Lessons Learned to Prevent Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI) June 23, 2022 – Part 2 of the 5-part Joint HQIC ‘Preventing Healthcare Associated Infections’ Learning & Action Network Series.
Prepared by IPRO HQIC Preventing CLABSI remains a national patient safety priority given its associated harms of increased hospital length of stay, costs, morbidity and a 12–25 percent mortality rate.
CMS: Updated Guidance for Nursing Home Resident Health & Safety, June 29, 2022
Overview of New and Updated Guidance To further support the implementation of the Long-Term Care (LTC) Facilities Requirements for Participation, which were published in 2016, CMS is issuing surveyor guidance
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Health Equity Updates: July Newsletter
View the new edition of our health equity newsletter featuring news, events, and tools to support your efforts in eliminating health care disparities within your communities.
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Ideas for Establishing Joy in Healthcare Work
Joy in Work, a framework by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, states an essential part of mitigating burnout and turnover, especially during these challenging times, is to focus on restoring
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July Infection Prevention Question of the Month
Melanie Ronda, RN, MSN, host of our weekly IP3 Office Hours gets many questions each week. Here’s one that may resonate with you: Q: What is the definition of being “up-to-date” on
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Joy in Work: Five Languages of Appreciation
Have you ever been excited to provide a recognition gift or reward to staff only to have it scorned or met with a “chilly” or “less than thrilled” reception? You
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The Importance of Collecting Patient Demographic Data
“How do we know if we have disparities and how can we prevent disparities that exist in our patient outcomes?” If your organization is asking these questions, the collection
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IP3 Resources: Vaccination Campaigns for Long-Term Care Facilities
As part of the IPRO QIN-QIO’s “From Booster Shots to Bouncing Back” weekly educational series, every Thursday we offer IP3 – Infection Prevention by an Infection Preventionist for Infection Preventionists.
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Health Equity Updates: June Newsletter
View the new edition of our health equity newsletter featuring news, events, and tools to support your efforts in eliminating health care disparities within your communities.
Health Equity Updates: June Newsletter Read More »
Hospital Health Equity Updates: June Updates
View the latest hospital health equity news, events, and tools to support your efforts in eliminating health care disparities within your health system and communities.
Hospital Health Equity Updates: June Updates Read More »
June Infection Prevention Question of the Month
Melanie Ronda, RN, MSN, host of our weekly IP3 Office Hours gets many questions each week. Here’s one that may resonate with you: Q: We started using N95 masks during
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Case Study: Improving Access to Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The Challenge Access to care is an essential component of healthcare quality. It follows that ensuring access to care is one of the priorities emphasized by the Centers for Medicare
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Medication Safety Assessment
Did you know that during the COVID-19 pandemic, Medicare beneficiaries experienced a higher rate of adverse drug events due to anticoagulants than for prescribed opioids? And that more antipsychotic drugs
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Hospital Health Equity Updates: May Newsletter
View the latest hospital health equity news, events, and tools to support your efforts in eliminating health care disparities within your health system and communities.
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CDC: New changes coming in May! NHSN Weekly COVID-19 Vaccination Cumulative Summary Forms will be Revised
What are the main changes? Simplifications COVID-19 vaccination data will no longer be reported by vaccine manufacturer for questions on primary vaccine series and additional/booster doses. Questions on vaccine supply
CMS Unveils More User-Friendly Medicare Website
New Medicare.gov will incorporate public feedback and make it easier to compare, choose, and understand Medicare coverage Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) unveiled several updates to
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Health Equity Organizational Assessment (HEOA) Knowledge Builders Series
Eliminating health disparities requires a commitment to collecting meaningful patient demographic data that healthcare organizations can use to better understand their patient populations and community, and assess their needs. The
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PFE LAN March 2022 Revitalizing PFE Practices after COVID
The March PFE Learning and Action Event focuses on how HQIC hospitals can revitalize their implementation of the five PFE Best Practices as the demands of the COVID surges begin
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CMS Ambulance Open Door Forum: Thursday, May 12, 2022
Date: Thursday, May 12, 2022 Start Time: 2:00pm-3:00pm PM Eastern Time (ET); Please dial-in at least 15 minutes before call start time. Conference Leaders: Jill Darling, Maria Durham **This Agenda
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May Infection Prevention Question of the Month
Melanie Ronda, MSN, RN, host of our weekly IP3 Office Hours gets many questions each week. Here’s one that may resonate with you: Q: Our nursing home’s medical director has
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