Administrative Memos
200706
FROM: Theodore O. Will, Chief Executive Officer
DATE: Jul 30, 2007
SUBJECT: Home Health Quality Initiative: Target Setting for 2008 on Home Health STAR
IPRO CONTACTS:
Sara Butterfield, RN, BSN, CPHQ, CCM, Upstate Director, HCQIP (800) 233-0360 Ext. 104
Target setting is a critical component of the performance improvement process. The establishment of concrete, measurable goals with time frames, allows providers to shape their vision about high quality health care. When well planned and properly documented, targets are an invaluable reference point from which an agency can monitor the progression of performance improvement initiatives.
In June 2006, IPRO provided educational Webex training sessions for the New York State home health providers on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Home Health Setting Targets-Achieving Results (STAR) Web site. This Web site was designed for home health agencies to utilize benchmark comparison data to set improvement targets for the publicly reported quality measures. Following the training sessions, the IPRO Home Health Team assisted New York State home health providers to use the Home Health STAR Web site to establish target goals for 2007 for acute care hospitalization, improvement in oral medication management and any of the other quality measures agencies selected for Plan of Action focus.
It is now time for home health providers to establish 2008 target goals for, at a minimum, the acute care hospitalization and oral medication management quality measures. If your agency is a member of the IPRO Clinical Improvement Identified Participant Group, target setting also involves the second quality measure selected by your agency.
CMS has established a deadline of October 31, 2007 for entry of 2008 target goals on the Home Health STAR Web site. Target setting is voluntary for home health providers but is strongly encouraged as a vital component of your performance improvement efforts. In an effort to assist you with this process, enclosed please find instructions on registration to the MedQIC Web site, the process for access to the Home Health STAR Web site and the two agency specific passwords that you will need to login to this system.The IPRO Home Health Project Team is available to assist your agency in establishing and documenting target goals on the Home Health STAR Web site. If you have questions or wish additional information, please contact one of the following representatives from the IPRO Home Health Project Team:
Sara Butterfield1-800-233-0360 Ext. 104
sbutterfield@nyqio.sdps.org Christine Stegel1-800-233-0360 Ext. 113
cstegel@nyqio.sdps.org Victoria Agramonte1-800-233-0360 Ext. 115
vagramonte@nyqio.sdps.orgWe appreciate your commitment to quality and look forward to continued collaboration!
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