Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement in Home and Community Based Services

MASSACHUSETTS

Grant Information


Name of Grantee

University of Massachusetts Medical School

Title of Grant

New England Quality Improvement Collaborative

Type of Grant

Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement in Home and Community Based Services

Amount of Grant

$499,226

Year Original Funding Received

2004

Contact Information


Dr. Steven Staugaitis, PI
University of Massachusetts Medical School
Room 105, Chang Building
222 Maple Avenue
Shrewsbury, MA 01545
508–856–7792
steven.staugaitis@umassmed.edu

Subcontractor(s)

R. Gettings
National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Systems
rgettings@nasddds.org

Target Population(s)


People with mental retardation and/or developmental disabilities (MR/DD).

Goals


  • Develop a common subset of standards, indicators, measures, and benchmarks to evaluate quality in New England State HCBS services.
  • Increase access to information and resources regarding HCBS quality, best practices, and quality improvement for MR/DD system stakeholders in New England.
  • Increase knowledge and skill in using objective and quantitative information as a quality management (QM) and quality improvement (QI) tool.
  • Improve communication and collaboration to promote oversight of HCBS programs between State MR/DD agencies, State Medicaid agencies, and the CMS regional office.
  • Develop and pilot methods for sharing system and provider quality indicators and performance with consumers and families to promote informed choice.

Activities


  • Develop a series of reports, including (1) best practices, current gaps, and recommended standards and indicators for measuring and promoting quality in HCBS; (2) common measures and a proposed quality report format; (3) written guidelines for collecting a subset of objective quality data; (4) tools and methods, including a database for collecting and organizing the data; (5) a revised set of indicators and measures for participating states; (6) a standard database and accompanying instructions and guidelines; (7) quality reports with common elements and benchmarks across a minimum of five states; and (8) formal State policies, procedures, and protocols.
  • Establish a virtual library of quality resources and tools available to New England stakeholders (consumers, families, providers, and personnel).
  • Conduct teleconferences for New England State personnel and annual meetings for New England State MR/DD leaders, QM Committee representatives, and QA/QI personnel.
  • Conduct training workshops for State staff on use of quantitative information and develop a resource workbook on effective use of objective and quantitative information for evaluating and improving the quality of HCBS services.
  • Establish a Quality Council in Massachusetts and conduct two annual conferences on quality management.
  • Conduct meetings for New England State MR/DD leaders and joint meetings with State Medicaid leadership; invite participation of CMS regional office personnel in development of standards, indicators, and measures; and to participate in training sessions.
  • Develop prototype risk-adjusted performance/benchmark measures and reports.
  • Develop consumer-friendly performance profiles and prepare a report for MR/DD leadership with recommendations on information consumers/families find most useful and on full implementation of provider performance profiles for use by consumers.

Abstract


The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, through the University of Massachusetts Medical School, E.K. Shriver Center, Center for Developmental Disabilities Evaluation and Research, will develop a unique quality improvement collaboration between the New England mental retardation/developmental disabilities State systems. The major outcomes for this grant project include the development of a set of common quantitative standards and quality indicators, comparative interstate benchmarks, standard algorithms for trend and pattern analysis of quality data, standardized evidence for use by the CMS Regional Office, National Core Indicators (NCI) enhancement, coordinated resource sharing, multistate training and learning opportunities regarding quality improvement and the use of objective data and analytic methods of performance evaluation, increased partnership between the State Medicaid Directors and the MR/DD system leadership, and improved methods for federal oversight of HCBS supports.

Consumers, families, service providers, and CMS regional personnel will be invited to participate with State personnel in the initial identification of standards and indicators to ensure that the design reflects what is important to HCBS participants, providers, and federal monitors. In addition, grant funds will be utilized to establish methods to facilitate the sharing of resources regarding quality and quality improvement across the participating states and the training of stakeholders in the use of quantitative information and methods for consumer use of objective quality information, including prototype provider profiles.