Tuesday, September 27, 2016
In Practice 
Tips, Tools & Education for Improving Outpatient Care
VHQC Attends Virginia Medical Group Management Association (VMGMA) Fall Conference in Williamsburg, VA
 
Candace Mangum, right, VHQC Outreach Coordinator pauses for a photo today with Della Collins, Virginia Medical Group Management Association (VMGMA) board member and Practice Administrator at Endocrinology & Diabetes Center at the VMGMA Fall Conference in Williamsburg, VA.
CMS Announcements:
Overview of QRUR Webcast set for Thursday

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will hold an overview of the 2015 Quality and Resource Use Reports (QRUR) on Thursday, September 29. Click here for more information and to register for the webinar.
Resources for Clinicians
Part D and Low-Income Beneficiaries Not Taking Blood Pressure Meds as Prescribed
In Health Day News, Dr. Thomas Frieden of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlights troubling findings of a large blood pressure study, highlighted by the statistics that 26% of Part D beneficiaries and 32% of low-income beneficiaries do not take blood pressure medication as prescribed. Click here to read more.

Why 7 Deadly Diseases Strike Blacks Most
Web MD  article discusses how health care disparities heighten disease differences between African-Americans and Caucasian Americans. Click here to read more.

CDC Expert Discusses Flu Vaccines
Listen to Lisa Grohskopf , MD, MPH, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), give the CDC vaccine recommendations for the 2016-17 influenza season.

In a separate video, she talks about the flu vaccine for people with egg allergies. Click here to access the recording.


New "AHRQ Views" Blog Post and Podcast Discuss Benefits of Using CAHPS Surveys
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has released a new AHRQ Views blog post from AHRQ Director Andy Bindman, M.D., discussing AHRQ's unique role in developing surveys to measure patients' experience with their health care. In addition, a new podcast features an interview with Caren Ginsberg, Director of AHRQ's CAHPS Program, explaining how CAHPS surveys ask about things that matter to patients and are actionable for providers - and what AHRQ does to make sure that's the case.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact the CAHPS User Network at cahps1@westat.com or 1-800-492-9261.
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VHQC Resource
An Update on Oral Anticoagulant Use and Beers Criteria

Listen as  Kelechi (K.C.) Ogbonna, PharmD, CGP, compares pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, and other attributes of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) to existing strategies for anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation and venous thromboembolism. The session also provides an appropriate treatment plan when presented with a patient requiring anticoagulation.

Click here to access the recording. 
Non-VHQC Events
October 5 Webinar on Improving EHR Usability and Patient Safety

Wednesday, October 5 from 4 to 5 PM ET

Join Dr. Andy Gettinger, Chief Medical Information Officer of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), on October 5 to discuss new recommendations on how to improve the design and testing of electronic health record systems to prevent medical errors, improve clinician workflow and enhance the quality of care. Dr. Peter Pronovost, Senior Vice President for Patient Safety and Quality, Johns Hopkins Medicine and Dr. Josh Rising, Director, Healthcare Programs, The Pew Charitable Trusts will both be speaking. Click here to register  for the event.

Effective Co-Management of Mental and  Physical Chronic Conditions

Tuesday, November 1 from 3 to 4 PM ET
 
This webinar will focus on "Effective Co-Management of Mental and Physical Chronic Conditions " and will feature Eric Christian (Center for Integration of Care), Dr. Paul Ciechanowski (Samepage), and Christina Goatee ( Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services). This National Learning & Action Network (LAN) session topic aligns with the CMS Quality Strategy goal to promote effective prevention and treatment of chronic disease.

Click here to register.

Continuing Education credit is available:  This activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM. This activity is eligible for ACPE, ANCC, AANP, and CDR credit; see final CPE/CE activity announcement for specific details.

TCPI Continuing Medical Education Module Available

A new Continuing Medical Education (CME/CE) module is now available for providers. Click here to access the module under Medscape Continuing Education.

Description: This expert column reviews the Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative (TCPI) of the CMS Innovation Center. This initiative is a large-scale health transformation project that supports clinicians/practices in sharing, adapting, and developing comprehensive quality improvement strategies. 

Credits:  Interested health care providers can earn credits upon completion of this online educational activity. Physicians may earn a maximum of 0.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s).
This material was prepared by VHQC, the Medicare Quality Innovation Network Quality Improvement Organization for Maryland and Virginia, under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The contents presented do not necessarily reflect CMS poli cy.
VHQC/11SOW/9/27/2016/2590