HIMSS Launches Quality 101 Website

HIMSS Launches Quality 101 Website

Quality healthcare relies on health information technology as a tool that can be leveraged to improve healthcare delivery and lead to operational, clinical and financial efficiencies

CHICAGO (September 1, 2010) – With quality and quality reporting as an integral component of electronic health record incentives for Meaningful Use, HIMSS introduces an online resource – Quality 101 – designed as a primer on the basics and metrics of quality measurement and improvement.

The HIMSS Patient Safety & Quality Outcomes Committee developed this tool as a portal into the world of quality, quality measurement and improvement.  Introduced in phases each quarter, Phase 1 is a ‘primer’ to quality measures with Phase 2 focused on the Plan-D-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle approach to quality improvement and related quality components.

“Quality measurement and improvement activities have, until recently, been running on separate tracks and parallel tracks with the adoption of healthcare information technology.   With the passage of ARRA and the meaningful use requirements for incentive payment from CMS, we have the de facto merging of these two activities,” said Lou Diamond, M.B.Ch.B., F.A.C.P., F.C.P. (S.A.) Chair, HIMSS Patient Safety and Quality Outcomes Committee.  Dr. Diamond is also Vice President and Medical Director, Healthcare and Scientific, Thomson Reuters.  “The Quality 101 website will be attempting to bridge these two parallel worlds, by providing basic information and updates focused on quality measurement and improvement.”

Visitors to the Quality 101 website will find the following information:

·         Quality -- The Basics
·         Quality -- Key Industry Players
·         Quality & Meaningful Use
·         Quality -- Public Reporting
·         Quality/Cost Relationship
·         Quality – Clinical Decision Support
·         Quality   Resources

Each section offers updated information with links to additional background on the featured topics. Rather than search for background information, current data, metrics or contact information, HIMSS Quality 101 serves as an information aggregator bringing all resources together.

“Achieving quality is the ultimate purpose of meaningful use.  A core understanding of the various factors that influence quality is vital to its success,” says David Collins, HIMSS Director, Healthcare Information Systems.  “The Quality 101 website provides a structured collection of resources for healthcare providers and health IT professionals so that the electronic health record can be leveraged to capture data to monitor and trend outcomes and improve quality, safety, and efficiencies.”

Visit Quality 101 for more information.  Contact David Collins at dcollins@himss.org to contribute content to the HIMSS Quality 101 website. Follow David Collins on Twitter @collinsdavid and view Quality 101 for current tweets.

About HIMSS

HIMSS is a cause-based, not-for-profit organization exclusively focused on providing global leadership for the optimal use of information technology (IT) and management systems for the betterment of healthcare. Founded 50 years ago, HIMSS and its related organizations have offices in Chicago, Washington, DC, Brussels, Singapore, Leipzig, and other locations across the United States. HIMSS represents more than 30,000 individual members, of which two thirds work in healthcare provider, governmental and not-for-profit organizations. HIMSS also includes over 470 corporate members and more than 85 not-for-profit organizations that share our mission of transforming healthcare through the effective use of information technology and management systems. HIMSS frames and leads healthcare practices and public policy through its content expertise, professional development, and research initiatives designed to promote information and management systems’ contributions to improving the quality, safety, access, and cost-effectiveness of patient care. To learn more about HIMSS and to find out how to join us and our members in advancing our cause, please visit our website at www.himss.org.