Bi-State Kids’ Congress on Health

A Bi-State Kids’ Congress on Health will be held Spring 2009.  Middle and High School Students will learn leadership skills and develop a health related project for their school or neighborhood. Information regarding the Kid’s Congress can be found below or under the consumer tab.  Please call KCQIC at 816-453-4424 if you have questions or need additional information.

Aligning Forces for Quality Background

KANSAS CITY GRANTED CHARTERED VALUE EXCHANGE DESIGNATION
Health and Human Services (HHS) increased the Chartered Value Exchange Learning Network to 20 communities. The communities a spread across the country and includes the following:

• California Chartered Value Exchange
• Colorado Value Exchange
• Connecticut–eHealthConnecticut.Inc
• Indiana–Quality Health First Program
• Kentucky–Greater Louisville Value Exchange Partnership
• Maine Chartered Value Exchange Alliance
• Massachusetts Chartered Value Exchange
• Michigan–Alliance for Health
• Michigan–Greater Detroit Area Health Council
• Michigan Health Information Alliance
• Michigan Health Information Alliance
• Minnesota Healthcare Value Exchage
• Missouri/Kansas–Kansas City Quality Improvement Consortium
• Nevada Partnership for Value-driven Health Care
• New York Quality Alliance
• Ohio–Health Improvement Collaboration of Greater Cincinnati and Health Bridge
• Oregon Health Care Quality Corporation
• Pennsylvania–Aligning Forces for Quaity–South Central PA
• Pennsylvania–Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative
• Tennessee–Healthy Memphis Common Table
• Utah Partnership for Value-driven Health Care
• Virginia Health Care Alliance
• Washington–Puget Sound Health Alliance
• Wisconsin Helthcare Value Exchange

The Learning Network for Chartered Value Exchanges (CVEs) is a national program supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). It is one component of the “Value-Driven Health Care Initiative,” launched in 2006 by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Mike Leavitt. The goal of this Initiative is to provide public information about the quality and cost of services delivered by health care providers.

CVEs are multi-stakeholder collaboratives from a wide variety of communities throughout the United States that are participating in a nationwide Learning Network. Through the Learning Network, health care purchasers, health plans, health care providers, and consumers learn from each other and from experts, while sharing experiences and best practices in the following areas:

• Collaborative Leadership & Sustainability
• Public At-large Engagement
• Quality & Efficiency Measurement
• Public Reporting
• Provider Incentives
• Consumer Incentives
• Capacity for Improving Quality
• Health Information Technology/Health Information Exchange

To become part of the Kansas City Chartered Value Exchange contact Cathy Davis, PhD, at 816-453-4424.  Additional information related to the Chartered Value Exchange Network can be found at    http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/value/localnetworks.htm

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Launches Quality/Equality Initiative

A national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) designed to help communities across the country harness local market forces to improve the quality of health care will be announced today.  The second largest initiative for RWJF, this $300 million investment in continuing to close the gap between the quality of health care that Americans now receive and what the health care system is capable of delivering.

The premise of Aligning Forces for Quality is that no single person, group or profession can improve care. This initiative is about working for better health together. Doctors, employers, patients, and others will come together to determine which areas of chronic disease will be targeted. To assure success, the 14 communities and regions will be provided resources and technical expertise by RWJF.

As one of the Aligning Forces for Quality grantees, the Kansas City Quality Improvement Consortium (KCQIC) will launch the KC  “Kick it up a Notch” Campaign.  The “Kick it up a Notch” will focus on individuals learning how to better manage their condition, doctors/providers learning about changes they can make to improve care, and prevention.  Additional information and how you can participate will be provided in the near future.

The other grant recipients are:

• Alliance for Health - Grand Rapids, Mich
• Community Health Alliance of Humboldt-Del Norte - Eureka, Calif.
• Greater Detroit Area Health Council – Detroit, Mich.
• Health Improvement Collaborative of Greater Cincinnati – Cincinnati, Ohio
• Healthy Memphis Common Table – Memphis, Tenn.
• Healthy York County Coalition – York, Pa.
• Maine Quality Forum – Augusta, Maine
• MetroHealth System – Cleveland, Ohio
• Minnesota Community Measurement – Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn.
• Oregon Health Care Quality Corporation – Portland, Ore.
• P² Collaborative of Western New York – Buffalo, N.Y.
• Puget Sound Health Alliance – Seattle, Wash.
• Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality – Madison, Wis.

For more information, visit www.rwjf.org or www.forces4quality.com.