The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) awarded contracts to 14 organizations as part of the restructuring of the Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) Program. Going forward, these organizations will be known as Quality Innovation Network (QIN)-QIOs. These private, mostly nonprofit organizations will work with providers to increase quality of care through technical assistance, data collection and analysis, and the facilitation of best practices. Each QIN-QIO will also work on strategic initiatives to improve care and provide technical assistance for value-based purchasing programs. These changes may result in some hospitals and providers working with a different QIO.
CMS previously released information about the first phase of changes, which identified two beneficiary and family centered care QIO contractors to support case review and activity monitoring. Changes to the QIO Program will be formalized Aug. 1 through the 11th Statement of Work.
Please contact Xiaoyi Huang, JD, director of policy, at xhuang@essentialhospitals.org or 202.585.0127 with questions.
