SPECIAL NOTICE
Q -- CMS Nursing Home Chain Project
- Notice Date
- 11/12/2002
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, formerly known as the Health Care Financing Administration, Acquisition and Grants Group, 7500 Security Blvd. C2-21-15, Central Building, Baltimore, MD, 21244-1850
- ZIP Code
- 21244-1850
- Solicitation Number
- HLH-03
- Archive Date
- 12/7/2002
- Point of Contact
- Herman Harris, Contract Specialist, Phone 410-786-9104, Fax 410-786-9922,
- E-Mail Address
-
HHarris@cms.hhs.gov
- Description
- The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will select one Medicare Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) contractor to partner with several large (multi-State, multi-facility) nursing home organizations ("chains") to assist the chains in implementing quality improvement collaboratives for their member facilities. This notice is posted to invite expressions of interest from qualifying chains to participate in this pilot project. This project will take place over a period of 18 months. During this time, we anticipate each participating chain will organize approximately 4 "learning sessions" involving up to 50 project teams each. Project teams represent the chain's individual facilities and will be expected to conduct improvement activities between learning sessions, with facilitated interaction between teams via teleconference, email, etc. The QIO coordinating this project will serve as the principal link between the chain and the QIO program with respect to CMS's Nursing Home Quality Initiative. The coordinating QIO will also provide each participating chain with materials and instruction necessary to implement collaborative quality improvement activities targeted at improving performance on one targeted quality measure within the chain's member facilities. Any individual facility within the chain may also work with its State QIO on this, or other topics related to the nursing home quality measures CMS will publicly report in late 2002. Chains will be responsible for costs of implementing quality improvement activities within their organizations and facilities. Chains will also be responsible for any costs (such as travel, lodging, long-distance telephone charges) associated with their participating in learning opportunities and activities provided by the QIO in the course of this project. Based on research and discussions with nursing home industry representatives, QIOs, and other relevant stakeholders, the Quality Measure targeted for improvement under this limited-duration pilot project will be: The Percentage of Residents with Pain. Due to limited funding available for the pilot project, participation in the study will be limited. CMS will review the written expressions of interest we receive from organizations volunteering to participate in this project, and, based on the information each chain provides in its expression of interest, will select up to six chain organizations to participate in this pilot project. After consultation with relevant stakeholders, we have developed minimum criteria to qualify for participation: Minimum Criteria for Participation 1. Chain organization must operate nursing facilities (certified by Medicare, Medicaid, or both) in at least 10 separate States (and/or U.S. Territories). 2. Chain organization must at the time of volunteering to participate operate a minimum of 50 total nursing facilities (certified by Medicare, Medicaid, or both). 3. Organization must provide evidence of an existing quality infrastructure and a statement of willingness to utilize resources within this infrastructure to work with this project?s coordinating QIO. In the event more than six chains express interest in participating and document that they meet or exceed minimum selection criteria, CMS will prioritize volunteers for final selection as participants based on both the chains specific characteristics in relation to minimum criteria and consideration of the additional characteristics described below. Additional Characteristics Considered in Selecting Participating Organizations 1. Number of Medicare beneficiaries whose care would be potentially improved. 2. Wide geographic distribution of chain's member facilities preferred. 3. Demonstrated motivation, resources, and ability to partner with QIOs to optimize Quality Improvement systems within nursing homes and chains. Via this notice, CMS invites expressions of interest from qualifying chains. A letter expressing interest is not a binding commitment to participate. In response to stakeholder requests that we minimize unnecessary delays in implementing this project, the process for selecting the coordinating QIO and participating changes are proceeding simultaneously. This will result in CMS selecting the coordinating QIO after we have chosen the participating chain organizations. Those chains selected to participate will be informed of the QIO selected to coordinate this project when this information is known, and will also have an opportunity to review detailed materials about how this project will be conducted and its impact analyzed before being asked to fully commit to this project. Letters of interest may be transmitted via paper mail, fax, or electronic mail, and should include the name, address, business phone, and email address for a point of contact for this project within the chain. Letters of interest should not exceed three pages in length. Because CMS will select participants based on chain characteristics as documented in their expressions of interest, any chain organization responding to this notice should clearly and explicitly address the points listed below. Points to Address in Letter of Interest: 1. How chain meets the minimum criteria for participation. 2. Chain's characteristics in relation to additional characteristics considered in selecting chains. 3. How the chain proposes to implement quality improvement under this project. 4. How this project would fit into chain's existing quality infrastructure. Any nursing home chain organization interested in participating should submit its non-binding letter of interest to CMS at the address below. In order to be considered, letters of interest must reach CMS by 5:00 pm (Eastern Time) on 22 November 2002. Letters of interest, and any questions about this notice, should be directed to: Paul McGann, SM, MD, FRCPC Medical Officer, Quality Improvement Group/OCSQ 7500 Security Blvd, CMS Mail Stop S3-02-01 Baltimore MD 21244 Telephone: 410-786-6825 Fax: 410-786-8532 E-Mail:PMcgann@cms.hhs.gov
- Record
- SN00203141-W 20021114/021112213124 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
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