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Hospital Quality Improvement Contractor (HQIC)

Doctor Talking To Senior Couple On Ward

Under a contract awarded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services which expired in September 2024, IPRO and its collaborator organizations offered select hospitals free focused technical support targeting identified high-priority issues in acute care.

The IPRO HQIC team

The IPRO HQIC quality improvement team of experienced healthcare professionals included pharmacists, nurses, physicians, health informatics professionals, healthcare administrators, social workers, dietitians, and data analysts. Each member of our team brought expertise in implementing cross-setting quality improvement initiatives as well as established relationships with nationally recognized subject matter experts in all healthcare topics, including patient safety, drug safety, and emergency preparedness.

We bring a passion for the work, expertise, and resources to enhance quality improvement efforts.

  •  While the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare acquired infections is not fully quantified, current research indicates that we can anticipate increases in rates of infections—including catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and sepsis. In performing this work, our team built on our prior success in reducing infection rates and adverse drug events to address the emerging challenges resulting from the pandemic.
  • We supported participating hospitals in improving care delivery systems affecting vulnerable populations.
  • We leveraged data to track, inform, and guide activities and to drive large-scale, sustainable change.
  • Our customized mobile applications decreased provider burden by incorporating clinical decision support tools directly into clinical workflows at the point of care.
  • We helped many hospitals organize improvement efforts on a framework of recognized stewardship models for antibiotics, anticoagulants, and opioids.
  • We are experienced in working in a variety of virtual formats, including the Project ECHO platform. Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes® (ECHO®) is a dynamic program designed to spread clinical and quality improvement knowledge, build capacity of local workforces to care for underserved and rural populations, and embed quality improvement practices into organizations.

About the IPRO HQIC

  • The three organizations that comprised the IPRO HQIC have each served as the Medicare QIN-QIO in their respective areas for decades, with years of experience successfully working with hospitals to improve patient safety, reduce healthcare-acquired infections, and improve healthcare outcomes.
  • As part of our CMS Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) work in the past, and more recently as a partner in the New York State Hospital Improvement Innovation Network (HIIN), we provided clinical expertise, education, tools, resources, and direct project support that improved health outcomes at participating hospitals.
  • We have helped hospitals implement patient and family advisory councils, establish a culture of safety by reducing harm, enhance transitions of care, and establish effective medication reconciliation and antibiotic stewardship programs.
  • We helped develop and conduct regional meetings for rural/critical access hospitals on topics such as reducing readmissions, developing care partner programs, and addressing transportation challenges in rural communities.

For Additional Information

Please contact info@ipro.org.