The Health Care and Financing Administration (HCFA) has initiated an ambitious, performance based, national healthcare quality improvement agenda for the Medicare Peer Review Organizations (PROs) during their current three-year contract (10/99 - 9/2002). A key component of this national agenda is to reduce disparities between health care received by Medicare beneficiarieswho are members of disadvantaged populations and by all other beneficiaries. For purposes of this effort, disadvantaged populations are considered African Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, American Indians and Alaska Natives, Hispanics, and Medicare beneficiaries who are also eligible for Medicaid (Dual Eligibles). Each PRO is required to conduct a quality improvement project that targets statewide reduction in a disparity experienced by one of the disadvantaged populations in its state related to one of the following clinical topics: acute myocardial infarction, stroke/atrial fibrillation/transient ischemic attack, pneumonia (which includes pneumococcal and influenza vaccination coverage), congestive heart failure, diabetes, and breast cancer. Initial baseline data sets of acute care and non-acute systems of preventive care have been collected and will be used by PROs to target project opportunities. Quality of care Indicators will be outlined. A brief presentation of baseline epidemiologic findings of quality of care disparities and project plans will be presented. Opportunities to identify potential collaborators will also be presented.
Learning Objectives: After this presentation, participants will be able to identify the clinical areas being pursued, the disadvantaged populations being targeted in the HCFA's next three year Peer Review Organization contract (10/99 - 9/2002)
Keywords: Diabetes, Chronic Illness
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.