Attachment J23b_10thSoWMtgStrategy_Amend 2_05122011.docx

ATTACHMENT J-23b - Amendment #2 as of May 12, 2011

10th SOW Strategic Plan for Meetings for Learning and Action Networks

The 10th SOW has at its foundation multiple Learning and Action Networks designed to achieve multiple Aims leading to the broader goals of better health care (through reduced harm), better care (through prevention and cardiac health improvement) and lowering costs through improvement. To be most effective the Networks participants will have to meet frequently for participants to come together to understand the objectives of the Aims, discover and explore available interventions, hear from patients and those in the field impacted by improvement efforts and to share progress or develop mid course corrections.

Given the number and variety of Learning Networks, CMS and QIOs must be efficient and strategic in convening meeting and must take advantage of existing and emerging technologies to augment face-to-face meetings. In addition to CMS and QIO sponsored meeting, several of our partners with whom we are collaborating will have meetings that will require attendance by certain travel teams. One such meeting will occur shortly after the beginning of the 10th SoW and will require that QIOs send at least 3-5 participants to a Hospital Acquired Infection Meeting sponsored by the HHS Office of Healthcare Quality. This meeting will occur in September location near the center of the country. Final notice of meetings and location will be provided via SDPS memo in sufficient time for travel planning.

Following is a high level description of expected meetings provided primarily for budgetary purposes. There are 6 distinct Learning and Action Networks referenced in the SoW including the following:

· Hospital HAI Learning and Action Network

· Nursing Home HACs Learning and Action Network

· Reducing Adverse Drug Events Learning and Action Network

· Prevention through Promotion of Immunizations and Screening Learning and Action Network

· Cardiovascular Health Learning and Action Network

· Care Transitions Learning and Action Network There are other Aims that will utilize technical assistance as the primary driver that may also benefit from attendance at national meetings including, care transitions leading to the reduction of readmission, quality reporting and improvement and patient engagement.

There are at least 4 categories of meetings that should occur for every Learning Network including the following:

· National Leadership Coordinating Council (twice a year) – Coordinated by CMS and designated NCCs

· National Faculty Meetings (three times a year) – Coordinated by CMS and designated NCCs

· National Learning Network Meetings (three times a year with approximately one meeting per AIM held by a partner) - Coordinated by CMS and designated NCCs

· State Coordinating and Faculty Meetings (three times a year) – Coordinated by local QIO

· State Learning Network Meetings (three times a year) – Coordinated by local QIO CMS also acknowledged that individual meetings for all of the 6 Networks is not practical thus one approach will be to have combined meetings that allow for individual breakouts into tracks specific to the topic at hand. Each QIO is encouraged to consider if state learning and actions networks can be combined.

CMS Action and Learning Network Meeting Strategy for QIOs and Partners (Each meeting to address all 6 Identified Strategic Areas of the 10th SoW except where noted)

National Leadership Coordination Council Comprised of Partners from Federal Agencies, Leaders in the Industry, QIO Leadership, Patients, Advocates and other interested stakeholders (Face to Face Meetings. Meets twice a year in DC Metro Area with approx 250 people for one day) Representation from QIOS will likely come from the NCC. QIOs may be requested to send one person to this meeting over the course of the contract and should budget accordingly National Faculty Meetings Comprised of experts in the field as nominated by the statewide QIO efforts, the National Coordinating Centers or other sources. Serves as faculty for the National Learning and Action Network Meetings (Meets three times a year with approximately 100 people for 1 ½ days. Most likely face to face) QIOs should plan to have 1 faculty member attend a meeting 3 times per year.

National Learning Network Meetings (QualityNet Meetings) Travel teams, including providers, QIOs, patients, etc. coming together to hear from faculty and other experts, share learnings , develop action plans that can be taken back to local level for customization.

(Face-to-face meeting with possible satellite downlinks for those that remain in the states. Two of the meetings will be sponsored by CMS and one meeting will be left open to append to partners meetings that will allow for a Learning and Action type format. Meetings will likely occur i n the Washington/Baltimore area

F or purposes of budgeting, a QIO is expected to send their internal teams to the meeting. The QIO should determine how many will travel (up to 15 members) including providers; however, CMS will not be able to cover the cost of more than 6 team member s and will not cover the cost of providers. The CMS sponsored LAN will have breakouts that are focused on each "theme" of the 10th SOW in an effort to reduce the number of meetings originally proposed. We also expect that a Beneficiary may travel to the National LANs and require assistance with expenses.

State Level Coordinating Meetings Comprised of local experts and faculty in the field as determined by the state. QIOs will use these meeting to coordinate and executing national goals at local level.

(QIOs will have flexibility to determine the number of meetings required to get the work done within available resources and time commitment of local partners. It is anticipated that at least three meetings will be needed with at least one face to face meeting and others done virtually) State Level Action and Learning Networks Local learning networks come together to plan actions that will be taken in the field, monitor progress, receive information from and provide important information to national efforts.

(Meets three times a year with at least one face -to-face meeting. Composition to be determined by QIOs in alignment with SoW guidance)