Quality Support Program, Maine Network for Health… a regional leader and major resource in support of quality improvement initiatives for the healthcare industry
WHAT WE DO
- Engage physician practices in performance improvement and act as quality advisor through consulting, facilitating, and managing initiatives that are important to each practice. We offer organizational assessments including registry readiness assessments and sound strategies to improve overall operations.
- Coordinate and lead learning Collaboratives designed for physician practices and other healthcare organizations that focus on topics such as technology implementation and practice redesign, diabetes, COPD, and tobacco treatment. IHI’s Breakthrough Series Collaborative Model that includes the Planned Care Model is used in all learning Collaboratives.
- Provide web resources, workshops, and forums on pertinent issues that impact and support quality improvement in healthcare. These education and training opportunities are offered through regional, state and national resources.
BENEFITS
- Strengthen existing quality improvement efforts in physician practices that will improve the bottom line, improve patient and staff satisfaction, and improve patient care.
- Learn best practices in the management of chronic conditions and be able to report outcomes to Maine Health Management Coalition’s Pathways to Excellence (PTE) program by implementing a disease registry or EMR.
- Prepare physician practices for NCQA certification through assessments, chart abstractions, office redesign concepts, and other resources through state and national organizations.
TOOLS
- Planned Care Model (Institute for Healthcare Improvement)
- Registry Readiness Assessments (Maine Practice Improvement Network)
- Clinical Office Systems Survey (Pathways to Excellence)
- Organizational Assessments (Microsystems)
- Patient and Staff Satisfaction Surveys
- Disease-specific tools for managing chronic conditions
CURRENT PROJECTS
Chronic Care Technology Implementation (TAMC): Operational support in leading three learning sessions focused on the efficient and effective transfer of patient data using technology, the improvement of workflow processes, web portal utilization as a technology resource for the community, and telehealth access, education, and knowledge. In collaboration with TAMC and Institute for Medical Improvement, EMHS.
Center for Family Medicine: MNH is consulting as quality improvement coach on a two year project topic of Access and Efficiency as part of the Office Practice Community with Institute for Healthcare Improvement. In collaboration with Maine Practice Improvement Network (MPIN).
New Horizons (Inland Hospital): Working hand in hand with four primary care practices in the development of a Registry for tracking COPD, Diabetes and CVD patients. In collaboration with Maine Practice Improvement Network (MPIN).
COPD Collaborative: Coaching and applying best practices and other office practice changes in the management of COPD through an IHI style Collaborative process with several physician practices. In collaboration with the Institute for Medical Improvement, EMHS.
MAJOR PARTNERS/RESOURCES
- Institute for Medical Improvement, EMHS
- Maine Practice Improvement Network
- Maine Health Management Coalition
- Quality Counts
HISTORY
Quality Support Services was developed in 2003 as a key program within Maine Network for Health to assist physician practices and specialists to meet the demands of quality and performance based initiatives embraced by state and national trends. Since then, the program has evolved—with support from grant funded projects through Institute for Medical Improvement and other contracted services—to meet the needs of our Network.