WASHINGTON, September 13, 2023 — The National Partnership for Hospice Innovation (NPHI) is pleased to announce that two members of its family have been chosen by the Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) to contribute their expertise to the newly-established quality measure endorsement process.
The PQM process will be conducted through two key committees:
- Endorsement and Maintenance (E&M) Committee – Comprising esteemed quality measurement experts, the E&M Committee will meticulously assess measures submitted to PQM for endorsement, ultimately determining their suitability. Margherita Labson, an independent quality measurement expert, brings her expertise to the E&M Committee as a valuable member. She currently serves as NPHI’s Regulatory and Compliance Director.
- Pre-Rulemaking Measure Review (PRMR) Committees – These committees will provide essential stakeholder input on measures earmarked for specific Medicare quality programs under consideration by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Annette Kiser, Chief Compliance Officer for Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN) and NPHI Technical Strategic Advisor will represent NPHI on the Post-Acute Care/Long-Term Care (PAC/LTC) PRMR Committee.
“NPHI is pleased to have two extremely knowledgeable and experienced quality experts from its family contributing to the success of this effort,” stated Tom Koutsoumpas, NPHI CEO. “Between them, Annette and Margherita bring a wealth of experience that their respective committees will find extremely valuable.”
PQM is operated by Battelle, a consensus-based entity (CBE) certified by CMS, with the responsibility of evaluating and endorsing quality measures for use in public reporting and value-based purchasing programs – a function previously performed by the National Quality Forum (NQF). Measures under review by PQM will include those for all post-acute/long-term care services, including hospice care, as well as for hospitals and clinicians.
“These are such critical times in healthcare and having the right experts at the right table at the right time is essential to navigate those challenges. Annette Kiser will bring a world of quality, compliance, and hospice clinical operations experience to the PRMR Committee, and the entire Teleios team is so proud of Annette for being tapped for this opportunity,” said Chris Comeaux, CEO of Teleios Collaborative Network – who also serves in an advisory capacity to NPHI.
In the forthcoming years, quality improvement, measurement, and reporting will become an increasingly important focal point for advanced illness and hospice care. This will be especially important as CMS strives to transition all of traditional Medicare to value-based purchasing.
NPHI is supportive of this new quality measure endorsement process and remains steadfast in its commitment to fostering high standards of excellence in hospice care and advancing the quality of life for patients and their families.
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The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) is a membership organization comprising 100+ not-for-profit, community-integrated hospice, and palliative care providers dedicated to ensuring patients and their families have access to care that reflects their individual goals, values, and preferences. Representing providers from 37 states and the District of Columbia, NPHI and its members help design more innovative and effective models of care, advocate for comprehensive and community-integrated care customized to meet each person’s unique needs, and build collaboration between national thought leaders, decision-makers, and other healthcare stakeholders to improve hospice care. Learn more at hospiceinnovations.org.
Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN) is a nonprofit organization that has created a clinically integrated network that shares expert leadership, industry best practices, and resources with its member organizations, allowing community-based, nonprofit hospice and palliative care agencies to continue their work of providing compassionate care for those facing serious illness or the end of life. TCN was founded in 2017 by Four Seasons and Carolina Caring and co-founded by AMOREM and Mountain Valley organizations. TCN is currently comprised of thirteen member organizations and serves in Idaho, Kansas, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia.