Quality Watch Episode Episode 13 CMS QIN-QIO Project

For four decades, the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has been focused on improving the quality of healthcare provided to Medicare recipients across all care settings. To do this work, CMS relies on the Quality Improvement Organization – or QIO program to measure and improve …

Bonus Episode: State Directed Payments

Jennifer Edwards, DrPH, MPH, Vice President, Strategy Solutions at IPRO, explains State Directed Payments as a tool to incentivize providers to improve the quality of healthcare provided to Medicaid beneficiaries. This is a re-broadcast of an earlier recording.

Quality Watch Episode 11 FHIR

CMS recently introduced regulatory changes that affect the way state Medicaid programs collect, maintain, and share provider information with beneficiaries. Underpinning these changes is the requirement that, by January 1, 2027, states implement a Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources – or FHI…

Quality Watch Episode 10 Clinical Staffing Shortages with Patrick Archambeault

Healthcare facility staffing shortages are real, and by many accounts, they are likely to get worse. Consider this: The American Association of Colleges of Nursing reports a projected shortage of 78,610 full-time RNs this year. A March 2024 survey by the American Health Care Association found that …

Quality Watch Episode 9 Patient and Family Advisory Councils

Patient Family Advisory Council exist in 51.36% of hospitals, according to the most recent data from the American Hospital Association. Similar initiatives exist within nursing homes, rehab facilities and provider groups, underscoring the essential role of the voice of the patient in designing and …

Quality Watch Episode 8 TEFCA with Matt Roberts

In late 2023, the Trusted Framework and Common Agreement, more commonly known as TEFCA – was established as a nationwide policy and technology framework for health information sharing. TEFCA was created by the US Health and Human Services Agency to remove barriers to information sharing among provi…

Quality Watch Episode 7 State-Directed Payments

Jennifer Edwards, DrPH, MHS, Vice President, Strategy Solutions at IPRO, shares her insights on State-Directed Payments, a strategy used by state Medicaid programs to support provider-driven improvements in access and quality of care.

Quality Watch Episode 6: IPRO at 40

In recognition of IPRO's 40th anniversary, our guest is Ted Will, founder and CEO of IPRO, who looks back at 40 years of healthcare quality improvement. We also take a look at recent healthcare quality improvement headlines and crunch some numbers in our Data Watch segment.

Quality Watch Episode 5: Vaccination Rates in Long-Term Care Facilities

Today's guest is Melanie Ronda, MSN, RN, LTC-CIP, CPHQ, Director of QIN-QIO T1 & 3 and Infection Preventionist at IPRO. Melanie addressed the rates of vaccination in long-term care facilities, and some strategies for overcoming vaccine hesitancy, particularly among older adults. 

Quality Watch Episode 4: Harry Feder Reflects on a 50-Year Career

"You save one life, you save the world." - Harry Feder, our latest Quality Watch Podcast guest. Harry decided recently to retire from his role as IPRO's COO after a remarkable 50-year career in healthcare, 37 of them at IPRO. In this episode, he reflects on half a century of healthcare quality impr…