Martie L. Moore, RN, MAOM, CPHQ

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first in a series on alignment to achieve quality outcomes: Understanding CMS quality strategy goals

Many times as leaders we feel that our actions are prescribed by entities beyond our immediate needs of those we serve.

I recently was in a discussion with a group of leaders who were expressing frustration at the increasing changes being demanded within healthcare. One person stated, “I wish I had a road map of where this is all going.” In truth, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has given a road map of where their direction is and will continue to be focused.

Looking at the following diagram, you see the six strategic goals.  Goal one is to make care safer by reducing harm caused in the delivery of care. We all have been working hard on goal one, with focused actions to improve clinical performance and quality outcomes.

CMS Quality Strategy Goals

Better Care. Healthier People. Healthier Communities. Smarter Spending

Strategic goal two is to strengthen person and family engagement as partners in care. This is to be done through the following:

1.  Ensure all care delivery incorporates person and caregiver (family) values and preferences. Person is now being utilized to reflect an individual’s identity as more than a label of resident or patient, to recognize the individual’s participation in prevention and wellness. Family is being used broadly to include participants in a person’s healthcare including informal caregivers.

2.  Improve experience of care for persons, caregivers and families. Advancing satisfaction data to experience data including moving from informed consent to informed decision making. In essence, looking for partnership in the healthcare delivery system.

3.  Promote self-management. Moving health into the hands of the person who owns it, the individual.

Recently, the white paper published by CMS in 2016 on Person and Family Engagement created a deep discussion amongst healthcare leaders on how do you change attitudes, beliefs and actions into the model being described in the white paper?  

Interestingly, the model being described by CMS is not new. The Institute for Patient Family Centered Care has promoted partnership and person-centered care since 1992. It started in the field of pediatrics and now CMS is bringing this best practice to the mainstream of healthcare delivery. I believe it will be important for you as a leader to know the foundational principles of the model.

Foundational Principles Guide CMS’ Actions in Achieving its Goals for PFE

Under the foundational principles will be the need for actions to move your organization forward. Additionally, do you have your strategic plan in alignment to the quality strategy goals of CMS?

It is the quality roadmap of the nation’s largest payer. So many times as new regulations or programs become reality, there was a roadmap out there telling us it is coming. Strategic goal one, says it all as we are learning to operate in a value-based environment with safety and quality outcomes becoming our payment metric.

You have the opportunity to be a leader on strengthening person and family engagement as partners in care. Download the white paper for more information and review your strategic goals. What work do you need to do to move in closer alignment to the goals of CMS?

Diagram content: Supplied by CMS.

Martie Moore, RN, MAOM, CPHQ, is the chief nursing officer at Medline Industries Inc. and a corporate advisory council member for the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel.