HealthInsight to assist healthcare providers improve quality and safety of care.(Nevada State Legislative Issues)

EDITOR'S NOTE: This press release announces the new contract between HealthInsight and CMS and reviews the focus of their work with Nevada

On August 1, 2008 HealthInsight announced a new, threeyear, $7.8 million contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that runs Medicare, to improve the quality of health care for every person in Nevada.

HealthInsight, the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) for Nevada, provides free expert resources to healthcare providers in hospitals, physician offices, and nursing homes to improve the care they provide to their patients so that it is safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, and equitable. The new work with Medicare will build upon the successes HealthInsight and Nevada providers have achieved in recent years, and sets new joint goals.

Over the next three years, HealthInsight will work collaboratively with providers in these key areas:

* Improving safety for hospital patients. HealthInsight will provide assistance to eligible hospitals to improve care for heart failure and reduce surgical complications. Hospitals will also work to prevent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections and prevent and treat bed sores.

* Improving the quality of life for nursing home residents. With a new safety focus, nursing homes that are in the greatest need of assistance will have the opportunity to work with HealthInsight to reduce bed sores and the use of physical restraints.

* Helping doctors improve preventive care by using technology. HealthInsight will assist up to 16 primary care practices in using electronic medical records systems (EMR) to improve preventive care for breast and colorectal cancer, pneumonia and influenza.

* Ensuring patients receive safer prescription drugs. HealthInsight will work with physicians, pharmacists and prescription drug plans to reduce the use of drugs that are potentially harmful for seniors.

* Helping providers prevent and manage chronic kidney disease. HealthInsight will utilize existing collaborative efforts and develop new mechanisms to support a community effort in controlling chronic kidney disease.

For the first time, HealthInsight will be working with providers and stakeholders to detect the incidence and slow the progression of chronic kidney disease among Medicare beneficiaries. HealthInsight was one of 13 QIOs across the country selected for this endeavor For more information or links to Medicare data and other resources, visit www.healthinsight.org.

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