By Mountain-Pacific Quality Health
April 17, 2020
“Not all heroes wear capes. Some wear scrubs.”
It’s a phrase that has been popping up all over social media and elsewhere on the Internet, usually accompanied by a photo of a health care worker. Other pictures show health care workers after long shifts, their faces lined, bruised or sometimes even cut by wearing personal protective equipment … Read the rest
By Mountain-Pacific Quality Health
April 17, 2020
It’s National Minority Health Month. This national effort brings awareness to the importance of physical, mental and emotional wellness, no matter your race, gender, age or where you live. Amid COVID-19 shelter-in-place and stay-at-home orders, focusing on good health for all of us is exactly what we need right now.… Read the rest
By Mountain-Pacific Quality Health
April 15, 2020
April is Cancer Control Month. What does cancer control mean?
“Cancer control” focuses on preventing cancer (reducing the number of people who get cancer), avoiding complications (side effects or conditions that happen or get worse because of cancer or treatment) and lowering mortality rates (helping people survive cancer).… Read the rest
By Mountain-Pacific Quality Health
April 10, 2020
As the global pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) seeps into most corners of the world, stress levels are on the rise. Beginning March 2020, professional sporting events, amusement parks, concerts, weddings, schools and childcare facilities closed, and state and federal governments implemented physical distancing and—for several states—shelter-in-place orders. For millions of people, ways of life changed overnight, finances were … Read the rest
By Mountain-Pacific Quality Health
April 3, 2020
As the number of positive novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases continues to rise around the world, it’s important to understand the role we all play in slowing the spread of the disease. Practicing prevention eases the burden on the health care system and allows scientists time to develop a vaccine to protect us against the virus.… Read the rest
By Mountain-Pacific Quality Health
March 30, 2020
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recommends the average person should consume about 2,000 calories a day. This can change, depending on your age, gender and physical activity, but this general guideline ensures you have enough energy to go about your daily routine, while avoiding too many calories, which can lead to weight gain and health problems.… Read the rest
By Mountain-Pacific Quality Health
March 27, 2020
The repeated advice for avoiding the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been to practice good hand hygiene. Simply: wash your hands a lot. But what about when it comes to your “stuff?” Is COVID-19 on your clothes? Your cell phone? A counter? A doorknob? The answer is – it certainly could be. So here’s what you should do.… Read the rest
By Mountain-Pacific Quality Health
March 23, 2020
Eating a healthier diet is one of the best measures you can take to prevent disease. Diabetes, cancer, heart failure, obesity and so much more can be prevented or managed with diet and exercise. But sometimes foods we think are healthy can be deceiving. So how do you know when foods have the health benefits we need?… Read the rest
March 17, 2020
The Montana Antimicrobial Stewardship (ABS) Collaborative is pleased to provide information on an upcoming webinar hosted and presented by the Skaggs School of Pharmacy experts on antibiotic stewardship and infection prevention. The webinar will focus on antibiogram data in Montana.
We are also providing links to previously recorded ABS webinars provided by the Skaggs School of Pharmacy.
Webinar Information
When: Friday, March 20, 2020 | 12:00 – 1:00 … Read the rest
by Mountain-Pacific Quality Health
March 9, 2020
We like to think health care professionals are perfect. However, as we all know, “to err is human.” That’s why we all must work together to do our part when it comes to patient safety.
It’s Patient Safety Awareness Week, an opportunity to learn how to protect your health when seeking health care. While health care professionals … Read the rest
February 11, 2020
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released a revision for the 2020 Conditions of Participation (COPs) for critical access hospitals (CAHs) that includes requirements for infection prevention (IP)/control and antibiotic stewardship programs (ASP). The Montana Antimicrobial Stewardship (MT ABS) Collaborative has tools and resources to help support CAHs in their IP and ASP program implementations. Access our Antibiotic Stewardship Resources webpage for more … Read the rest
February 4, 2020
The Montana Antimicrobial Stewardship (ABS) Collaborative is pleased to provide information on an upcoming webinar hosted and presented by the Skaggs School of Pharmacy experts on antibiotic stewardship and infection prevention. The webinar will focus on community-associated pneumonia guidelines.
Webinar Information
When: Friday, February 14 | 12:00 – 1:00 PM MST
To Join:
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/915495365
You can also dial in using your phone:
Toll-free: 1 (877) 309 2073… Read the rest
It is hard to believe the Medicare Quality Payment Program (QPP), including Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), is entering its fourth year. To close out 2019 successfully, it is important to complete your audit folder and begin establishing your 2020 goals. Here are a few reminders and tips to help with your success.
Promoting Interoperability (PI)
January 24, 2020
The Montana Antibiotic Stewardship (ABS) Collaborative is pleased to share information about an upcoming webinar hosted and presented by the experts at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy on antibiotic stewardship and infection prevention. The webinar will focus on a review of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) seven core elements for antibiotic stewardship programs (ASP) and a review of the new conditions … Read the rest
We get it. You have a busy practice with a thousand things you would like to improve. And adding maximizing the Medicare Quality Payment Program (QPP) might not hit your priority list until it is absolutely required.
In the spirit of kicking off the new year right, it’s in your best interest to get an early start on QPP. Why? Because it can … Read the rest
December 27, 2019
Are antibiotic awareness campaigns working? Does the public still feel like antibiotics are a cure-all? Are there tips out there for talking to patients about antibiotics? These are just a few of the questions addressed in this episode of Healthy Living for Life’s podcast.
Join Stevi Sy, PharmD, and Crystal Morse, CSW, both with Mountain-Pacific Quality Health, for a discussion about current patient expectations and … Read the rest
December 18, 2019
The third antibiotic stewardship podcast discussing options for patients with penicillin allergies is now available. Penicillin is the most commonly report drug allergy, with 10 percent of the population claiming an allergy to penicillin. Research shows that 90 percent or more of these individuals are not allergic. A “penicillin-allergic” label for a patient can result in higher medical costs, longer hospital stay, … Read the rest
When temperatures dip, and the sun sets early, the cold and dark can get people down. Add the stress, the strained feelings of obligation or the loneliness that some people experience with the holidays, and the winter blues can slump into depression.
Many people get hit by the winter blues, but how do you know when what you are feeling is more than a temporary … Read the rest
Our Second Antibiotic Stewardship Podcast Is Live
December 9, 2019
What role does health information technology (HIT) play in your antibiotic stewardship efforts? Or maybe we should ask, what role SHOULD it play? Listen to Mountain-Pacific Quality Health’s Healthy Living for Life Antibiotic Stewardship and Health Information Technology podcast to find out!
This is the second podcast in our new Healthy Living for Life series, created to provide valuable information shared by medical and pharmacy … Read the rest
National Antibiotic Awareness Week is an annual observance promoted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to raise awareness about the threat of antibiotic resistance and the importance of appropriate antibiotic use. This year, Antibiotic Awareness Week is November 18-24, 2019.
To celebrate, Mountain-Pacific Quality Health would like to introduce our first Healthy Living for Life – Antibiotic Stewardship podcast, which provides valuable … Read the rest
It’s hard to quit smoking.
According to the American Cancer Society, smoking is responsible for more than 480,000 deaths every year in this country—or about one in every five deaths. More than 16 million Americans live with a smoking-related disease. And yet, despite these severe impacts on life and health, 34 million Americans still smoke cigarettes.
Why?
Tobacco is both a physical and psychological … Read the rest
There is just over three months left in 2019. It’s time to ensure you are on track to get the best Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) score you can for 2019. To help you out, here are a few items you should be doing from NOW to end the year to keep you in great shape … Read the rest
The Montana Hospital Association (MHA) will be offering a full-day Infection Prevention Boot Camp on Tuesday, September 17, at the MHA Fall Convention & Trade Show in Billings, Montana.
Date: Tuesday, Sept. 17 in Billings, MT
Event Title: Infection Prevention Boot Camp
Description: This year, we are very excited to bring in Toni Foos from the Colorado Hospital Association to present a National Healthcare Safety Network … Read the rest
Introducing the new (beta version) outpatient antibiotic usage tool, created through the work of the Montana Antibiotic Stewardship Collaborative. Below are links to this new tool and the webinar/demo on how to use it.
Outpatient Antibiotic Usage Tracking Tool
Beginning this electronic health record (EHR) reporting year (2019), all promoting interoperability (PI) program participants are required to use a 2015 edition of certified electronic health record technology (CEHRT). The 2015 CEHRT is intended to move to more up-to-date standards and functions that better support interoperable exchange of health information and improve clinical workflows. Your facility would not be able to attest to PI and … Read the rest
What are the most prevalent SDOHs in Montana?
In 2015, Mountain-Pacific Quality Health partnered with three Montana communities to work on a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) project to address complex care patients who frequently use the emergency department (ED) and experience hospital readmissions. The communities expected to see transportation and affordable housing as key SDOH, and they did, but these issues were … Read the rest
We get it. Your practice has limited time, limited staff and too many best practices to implement. in our last blog, we made the case for WHY it is important to assess SDOH (insert link). This blog will focus on HOW to begin.
The Montana Antibiotic Stewardship (ABS) Collaborative is pleased to present two new antimicrobial stewardship (ASP) webinars scheduled to help move your ASP program forward. Webinar details along with links for registration are below.
This webinar has been postponed until further notice.
Webinar information:
Title: Collaboration Makes the Infection Program Stronger
Date: June 19, 2019 (Postponed)
2:00 – 3:00 PM MDT | 12:00 PM … Read the rest
The Montana Antibiotic Stewardship (ABS) Collaborative is pleased to present two new antimicrobial stewardship (ASP) webinars scheduled to help move your ASP program forward. Webinar details along with links for registration are below.
This webinar has been postponed until further notice.
Webinar information:
Title: Collaboration Makes the Infection Program Stronger
Date: June 19, 2019 (Postponed)
2:00 – 3:00 PM MDT | 12:00 PM – 1:00 … Read the rest
If your hospital did not attest and was unable to meet the Medicare Promoting Interoperability (PI) reporting requirements for the program year (PY) 2018 due to a significant hardship, your hospital may be eligible to submit for a hardship exception. If your facility meets the requirements and can provide proof for a significant hardship, your facility could avoid a negative payment adjustment.
Hardship Exception … Read the rest
Below are links for the slide deck and recording for the recent educational webinar made available through the Montana antibiotic stewardship (ABS) collaborative as well as our next scheduled educational event.
Latest Webinar Materials:
Date: May 15, 2019
Title: Antimicrobial Stewardship for Critical Access Hospitals
Description: Whether you are just starting your antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) or want to expand it, this webinar will provide the information … Read the rest
Register now for the antibiotic stewardship (ABS) webinar on Wednesday, May 15, which focuses on establishing or advancing ABS at facilities in rural locations. Webinar details and the registration link are below.
Webinar information:
Date: Wednesday, May 15, 2019
Time: 1:00 – 2:00 PM MDT | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM AKDT | 9:00 – 10:00 AM HST
Title: Antimicrobial Stewardship for Critical Access Hospitals
Description:… Read the rest
The Montana Antibiotic Stewardship Collaborative is hoping to create electronic health record (EHR)-based workgroups with the assistance of Medici/Asolva to assist facilities in their efforts to report antibiotic stewardship measures to the antibiotic usage (AU) module in the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) and to generate the reports needed to do so.
If you would please take a minute to complete THIS SIMPLE QUESTIONNAIRE and … Read the rest
We have new antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) webinars coming up soon! These two webinars are designed to help move your ASP forward. Webinar details and registration links are below.
Webinar information:
Tuesday, April 23
1:00 – 2:00 PM MDT | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM AKDT | 9:00 – 10:00 AM HST
Title: Improve Antibiotic Stewardship Efforts – UTI Focus
Description: Learn about the latest techniques and methods for … Read the rest
Now that the 2018 electronic health record (EHR) incentive program reporting period is closed for Promoting Interoperability (PI), you can begin working on the requirements for 2019 reporting. The 2019 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) program changes continue the advancement of Certified EHR Technology (CEHRT) utilization, focusing on burden reduction and improving interoperability and patient access to health information.
To start, … Read the rest
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) “triple aim” is to improve health care, improve population health and ultimately lower health care costs through quality improvement. Assessing social determinants of health (SDOH) can be a key factor in addressing both better care and lower costs. While the medical community provides much needed care to patients suffering from illness and disease, the causes of early death … Read the rest
By Amber Rogers, RN, MSN
An important part of what you do is making sure vaccines reach all your patients who need them. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends health care professionals
In addition to following these recommendations, there are a few key steps you … Read the rest
Important information for providers who perform the majority of their services in a hospital.
In 2019, hospital providers have a new option for Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) in the Quality and Cost categories called “facility-based scoring.” Facility-based scoring provides clinicians with scores in the MIPS Quality and Cost categories using quality measures from the hospital … Read the rest
If you missed the webinar with Jeffrey Jansen, PharmD, or wanted to revisit his presentation, below are the links to the slides and the recording. There is also a new version of the Days of Therapy (DOT) tool.
Webinar Materials
3/13/19 – Webinar: Real Antibiotics for Rural Patients: Treating People, Not Guidelines
In this webinar, Jeffrey Jansen, PharmD, the pharmacy infectious diseases coordinator for SCL Saint … Read the rest
There is still time to finalize, submit and confirm your QualityNet (QNet) submission reports for your 2018 Promoting Interoperability (PI) attestation. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has extended the electronic Clinical Quality Measure (eCQM) and PI program submission and attestation deadline to March 14, 2019 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time for the calendar year 2018 Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) … Read the rest
