Administrative Memos

200605

FROM: Theodore O. Will, Chief Executive Officer
DATE: Sep 27, 2006
SUBJECT: Training Session for Medicare Hospital Payment Monitoring Program - Special Project on Gastrointestinal Disorders: Preliminary Results And Blinded Case Review Examples
IPRO CONTACTS:

George Davis, Ph.D., Assistant Director, Data Analysis & Evaluation Medicare/Federal Healthcare Assessment, 516-209-5217

As you are aware, IPRO, as the Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) for New York, has initiated a Hospital Payment Monitoring Program (HPMP) special project to address Medicare payment errors associated with DRGs 174 and 182 (for more information see HPMP Administrative Memorandum # 2006-03).

In addition to the case review project component, we have developed educational resource materials to assist hospitals in reducing payment errors associated with DRGs 174, 175, 182, and 183 (i.e., Gastrointestinal Disorder DRGs). These resources include recorded project-related Webinars, an online community forum and hospital-specific data reports; distributed on a quarterly basis. Information regarding all project resources to date may be found at http://www.ipro.org/gi.

In addition to the above resources, on October 12, 2006, IPRO will be hosting a live Webinar for all New York State short-term acute care providers. The purpose of this session is to provide the preliminary results of our project's baseline case review findings as well as blinded case examples identified during preliminary review. Hospitals are strongly encouraged to utilize the preliminary project data and associated case examples being shared by IPRO to evaluate; validate and make any necessary internal process changes to ensure the ongoing appropriateness and medical necessity of inpatient hospital admissions as well as the medical record documentation needed to support the accuracy of the coding/DRG assignment. Please note, the Webinar is intended to be interactive and will include an opportunity for questions and answers. PowerPoint slides will be available for download three days prior to the event (www.ipro.org/gi) for your review.

Information regarding registration for this event is provided in Attachment A. Please note that registration is required, as well as a phone line and an internet-connection computer to view the presentation. We encourage staff within your hospital to share a computer and, register as a single user so that all hospitals may have the opportunity to participate in the live event.

Should you have any questions in regard to the upcoming webinar or any aspect of the HPMP special project, please contact George Davis, Ph.D., Assistant Director, Data Analysis & Evaluation, Medicare/Federal Health Care Assessment at 516-209-5217 or by email at gdavis@nyqio.sdps.org.