Quality
Assurance and Quality Improvement in Home and Community Based Services
NEBRASKA
Grant
Information
Name of Grantee
Nebraska
Department of Health and Human Services
Title of Grant
Quality
Assurance and Quality Improvement System in Home and Community Based Services
(HCBS)
Type of Grant
Quality
Assurance and Quality Improvement in Home and Community Based Services
Amount of Grant
$470,000
Year Original Funding
Received
2004
Contact
Information
Joni Thomas, Grant Coordinator
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
Aging and Disabilities Services
301 Centennial Mall South, Fifth Floor
Lincoln, NE
68509
402–471–1764
joni.thomas@hhss.ne.gov
Subcontractor(s)
Dr. Barbara Jackson, Project Manager
Munroe–Meyer Institute
University of Nebraska
Medical Center
985450 Nebraska Medical
Center
Omaha, NE
68198–5450
402–559–5765
jjackso@unmc.edu
Connie Hayek, Project
Director
Answers4Families
Center on Children,
Families and the Law
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
402–472–3479
chayek@answers4families.org
Dr. Linda Redford
University of Kansas
Target
Population(s)
Consumers receiving services through the
Aged and Disabled Home and Community Based Waiver, which covers populations
across the lifespan.
Goals
- Develop an integrated
and comprehensive QM System (at state and local levels) based on the CMS
HCBS Quality Framework incorporating expanded consumer involvement.
- Implement a tool
mirroring the CMS Participant Experience Survey to assess children's
families' satisfaction with services.
- Implement risk
assessment tools/process to assure consumer health and welfare while
allowing self-direction and consumer decision making.
Activities
- Establish Quality
Councils that include consumers to serve as advisory groups: one for
in-home consumers and one for assisted living consumers.
- Create data collection
protocols for quality monitoring.
- Develop written
protocols for consumer participation in Participant Experience Survey.
- Develop, implement,
and analyze results of a Family Participant Experience Survey.
- Establish a Web-based
feedback and incident reporting system, with accompanying reports and
protocols for linking information with the regulation and licensure
system.
- Develop and implement a
medication risk process including an assessment instrument and
instructions, a pharmacist referral protocol, and corrective action
process.
Abstract
The purpose of the grant project is to develop a system of
supports and services that builds quality into the design of program
operations, including a quality management strategy that involves real-time
methods of feedback and information gathering; involves consumers, families and
advocates in active roles; and makes effective use of quality management
processes to guide system improvement. This grant will target consumers
receiving services through the Aged and Disabled Home and Community Based
Waiver, which covers populations across the lifespan.
This project will integrate and enhance current quality
assurance efforts into a coordinated, comprehensive Quality Management system
that is aligned with the CMS HCBS Quality Framework. Four key issues will be
addressed to improve current processes:
- Consumer roles will be
expanded using innovative strategies to increase their participation in
all stages of the QM process.
- A comprehensive
quality management system (at both the state and local levels) based on
the HCBS Quality Framework will be developed. This includes distinguishing
between consumer outcomes for in-home services and consumers residing in
assisted living facilities.
- QM analysis,
reporting, and follow-up processes will be enhanced to result in effective
reporting and responsive actions on improvement recommendations.
- Risk management tools, a
medication assessment process and a family participant survey will be
developed.