A Community Effort to Covid-19 Vaccinations
by Chris Symolon, Director, COVID-19 Vaccination Project, Foundation for Healthy Communities, New Hampshire Welcome to 2023, a new year, a new start, a reset! I have been reflecting on the …
Hospitals
National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS)
A blueprint to help promote health equity. What is CLAS? Culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS) are a way to improve the quality of services provided to all individuals, …
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Raising Preemies During a Pandemic: Vaccines Protect The Most Vulnerable
by Erin Just, BScOT, MA, Quality Improvement Coordinator, Vermont Blueprint for Health In 2019, I welcomed identical twin boys. They arrived earlier than hoped, requiring medical intervention to improve their …
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Voices from the Field Series Session I: Best Practices for Addressing Health-Related Social Needs (HRSN) in Care Coordination
Starting January 1, 2023, embedding health equity into your process, practice, performance, and quality outcomes will be a priority for healthcare organizations. To help you prepare to meet these requirements, …
Walk Alongside the Community to Combat Vaccine Hesitancy
By Sandra N. Colpitts MSN, RN, CIC, Manager, Infection Prevention and Control, South County Health, Wakefield, RI When I first became a nurse, I never imagined the adventures I would …
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Joint HQIC Antibiotic Stewardship: Quick Wins for Improving Duration Therapy LAN Event
Antibiotic Stewardship (AS) remains a national priority aimed at optimizing antibiotic use to effectively treat infections, protect patients from harms caused by unnecessary use and combat antibiotic resistance. This event …
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Pre-recorded Learning Modules on Person and Family Engagement
What is Person and Family Engagement and Why Does it Matter? PFE, and explains what partnership might look like in the hospital setting. The presentation outlines the benefits of PFE …
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Identifying and Supporting Patient Representatives on a Quality Improvement or Patient Safety Committee
The September PFE Learning and Action Event explores how patient and family representatives can contribute to QI or patient safety initiatives. The one-hour session explains the roles and responsibilities of …
Now is the Time: A Compendium of Tools to Use for Great American Smokeout and Beyond
It is a well-established fact: smoking leads to disease, disability, and harm in nearly every organ system. It has long been shown to cause cancer, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, lung …
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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 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 …
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 …
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, …
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 …
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 …
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.
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 …
Quality Improvement 101 Overview
A six-week interactive course Next cohort begins August 24, 2022. Scroll down for registration links. Fee: Free Whether you are new to Quality Improvement (QI) work or a project team, …
Hospital Health Equity Updates: April 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.
Hospital Health Equity Updates: February 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.
IPRO HQIC presents: The Impact of Meaningful Medication Reconciliation on ADEs, January 13, 2022
Hospital leaders from across the country attend the HQIC Community of Practice Call. The small, rural and critical access voice was amplified through sharing of barriers and best practices alike. …
IPRO HQIC presents: Helping Healers Heal, January 27, 2022
The webinar was a peer presentation on a wellness initiative developed by New York City Health + Hospital System entitled “Helping Healers Heal”. During the session, we will explore all-cause …
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How One Hosptial takes on Food Insecurity
Food insecurity has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic as unemployment, illness and death have caused a major financial strain in many households. It is defined as “a household-level economic …
IPRO QIN-QIO Presents: Strategies for Providing Affirming Care for LGBTQ+ Individuals
According to Healthy People 2030, studies have shown that LGBTQ+ individuals experience disparities in healthcare, societal stigma, and discrimination. These negative factors are associated with poorer health outcomes and higher …
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HQIC Antibiotic Stewardship Workgroup: Penicillin Allergy Module
Videos Video #1: A conversation with Nicholas P. Torney, Pharm. D., BCPS, Munson Medical Center Traverse City MI, on how to start and sustain a successful penicillin allergy program PowerPoint …
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CMS Ambulance Open Door Forum Conference Call, December 9, 2021
The next CMS Ambulance Open Door Forum is scheduled for December 9, 2021, 2-3 PM Eastern Time (ET) Open Door Participation Instructions: This call will be Conference Call Only. Please …
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ICYMI: Inpatient Quality Reporting notice from CMS
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has contracted with Mathematica to develop, electronically specify, and maintain process and structural measures that assess clinical quality in several hospital quality …
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An IPRO HQIC Webinar: Partnership in Action: Bedside Shift Change & Reporting, December 16, 2021
The American Institutes for Research (AIR) and the IPRO Hospital Quality Improvement Contractor (HQIC) gathered hospitals that have successfully implemented shift change huddles or bedside reporting in partnership with patients …
Be Antibiotics Aware: U.S. Antibiotics Awareness Week, November 18-24 2021
U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week is an annual one-week observance that gives organizations like ours an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of appropriate antibiotic use to combat the threat …
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IPRO QIN-QIO Presents: Optimal Z Code Utilization & Reimbursement Opportunities, Webinar, December 7, 2021, 11 AM
Healthy People 2030 defines social determinants of health as “the conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range …
Webinar: Join Massachusetts Department of Public Health for CDC Led, Colonization Screening 101
Please join the Massachusetts Department of Public Health in a regional containment webinar led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). C. AURIS AND CPO COLONIZATION SCREENING 101: …
Join the HQIC Webinar, November 23, 2021: One Hospital’s Journey to a Culture of Health Equity: Lessons Learned from a Rural Community
November 23, 2021 | 2-2:30 PM ET | 1-1:30 PM CT | 11-11:30 AM PT Join this exciting presentation to learn about the population health initiatives at Jefferson Healthcare, a …
Catheter Cancel Culture
A pre-recorded webinar sponsored by the Kentucky Hospital Association, a member of the IPRO HQIC.
Health Equity Updates: November Newsletter
View the latest health equity news, events, and tools to support your efforts in eliminating health care disparities within your organization and communities. What’s Inside? Overdiagnosis of Schizophrenia for Residents …
Understanding the Lifecycle of a Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC): Learning and Action Network (LAN) Event
Engaging patient and family advisors individually or in a council or committee to apply their own experiences and perspectives is one way to create patient-centered strategies, policies, or procedures that …
Health Equity Hospital Highlights: October 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. What’s inside? New Data Highlight …
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CDC Updates Infection Prevention and Control Guidance for Healthcare Settings
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its infection prevention and control (IPC) guidance for healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, Infection Control Guidance for Healthcare Professionals about …
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StAT Learning Series for Hospitals
The new StAT (Standards, Approaches and Tactics for Infection Control & Prevention) Learning Series for Hospital Clinical Staff and Leaders includes a variety of interactive, self-paced learning modules on infection …
New Minority Health Social Vulnerability Index Website
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services would like to share this announcement from our colleagues in the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The Centers for Disease …
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Hospital IPPS Final Rule Increases Payments to Treat COVID-19 and Improves Quality of Data Collection
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service (CMS) is taking action to drive value-based, person-centered care, and promote sustainability and readiness to respond to future public health emergencies in our …
Health Equity Hospital Highlights: August 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. What’s inside? CDC and OMH …
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Get Vaccinated During National Immunization Awareness Month
This August, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH) is recognizing National Immunization Awareness Month and encouraging you to get vaccinated to protect yourself …
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COVID-19 Variants
The Delta Variant It appears to be more contagious than other strains. Unvaccinated individuals are at greatest risk, some communities are encouraged to resume social distancing and masking precautions, and …
COVID-19 Vaccine Messaging for Rural Communities
The New England Rural Health Association developed a COVID-19 Vaccine Messaging Campaign to help improve vaccination rates in our states and communities. Materials These materials focus on the business community and …
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Get your patients back on track with routine vaccinations.
August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). This annual observance highlights the efforts of healthcare professionals to protect patients of all ages against vaccine-preventable diseases through on-time vaccination. The COVID-19 pandemic …
Get your patients back on track with routine vaccinations. Read More »
New Program Announcement: Operation Expanded Testing
Federally-Funded COVID-19 Testing Program What is Operation Expanded Testing? Operation Expanded Testing is a program supported and funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to provide COVID-19 …
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Health Equity Updates: August 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. What’s inside? America’s Health Rankings …
CDC Health Advisory: Vaccination to Prevent COVID-19 Outbreaks with Current and Emergent Variants
July 27, 2021 | The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issues Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory The CDC is issuing this Health Alert Network Health Advisory to …
Ask a Doctor: What About the New COVID-19 Variants?
Continue to build COVID-19 vaccine confidence in hesitant patients by sharing this one-minute video featuring Dr. Gina Gregory-Burns explaining that the vaccines are effective and protective against variants. This video …
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Pathways to Safer Opioid Use: Interactive Training
This interactive training promotes the appropriate, safe, and effective use of opioids to manage chronic pain. This training is based on the opioid-related recommendations in the National Action Plan for …
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Surgeon General Issues Advisory on Confronting Health Misinformation on COVID-19 Vaccine
U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued the first Surgeon General’s Advisory of this Administration to warn the public about the urgent threat of health misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic. …
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AHRQ Toolkit for Preventing Pressure Ulcers in Hospitals
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) created this toolkit to assist hospital staff in implementing effective pressure ulcer prevention practices through an interdisciplinary approach to care. Each year, …
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Celebrating 31 Years of the Americans with Disabilities Act
During July, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH) observes the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). First enacted on July 26, …
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CMS NQIIC 2020 Annual Report: Confronting the Pandemic Together
As a valued partner in IPRO QIN-QIO’s quality improvement activities, we are pleased to share with you the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Network of Quality Improvement and …
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Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 31st Anniversary
July 26, 2021 is the 31st anniversary of the day the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law. The ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in all …
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July is BIPOC Mental Health Month
For historically marginalized communities, traditional systems of care may overlook cultural and historical factors that impede BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and other people of color) mental health. Community care, self-directed care, …
HHS Announces Rule to Protect Consumers from Surprise Medical Bills
Announcement is the first in a series of regulations aimed at shielding patients from increased financial hardships stemming from surprise medical bills CMS – July 2, 2021 | Today, the …
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