Advanced analytic tools identify quality performance issues, improve quality reporting

3M Health Information Systems has introduced 3M Quality Services, a complete program of expert consulting, advanced analytics, and the latest quality metrics to help hospitals identify the root cause of quality performance issues.

Using public quality measures and 3M’s proprietary quality metrics, 3M Quality Services consultants evaluate hospital outcomes data to identify specific quality outliers, which are then analyzed to determine the source. This in-depth analysis uncovers issues with clinical documentation, coding, staff training, and hospital processes and workflow. By pinpointing issues impacting quality reporting, the program helps hospitals improve their quality outcomes data and thrive under new federal and state outcomes-based reimbursement initiatives.

Once the root cause of quality outliers have been identified, 3M consultants work with facilities to develop hospital-specific improvement plans that include education, documentation improvement, redesign of workflows for either concurrent or post-discharge quality reviews, and more. The program is enhanced with a team-based approach to training that breaks down cross-functional silos and barriers. Ongoing monitoring and measurement promotes long-term success, helping to ensure that coding, clinical documentation improvement, quality and clinical teams deliver improved quality measures and accurate outcomes data going forward.

“With the rise of value-based purchasing and new risk-sharing agreements between payers and providers, it’s crucial that quality performance data be accurate,” said Terri McCubbin Graves, RN, Director of Consulting Services for 3M Health Information Systems. “Not only is it essential for reimbursement, but with hospital quality reports now publically available, healthcare organizations need to do all they can to protect their reputations and make sure these public-facing scorecards are correct.”

Quality metrics analyzed by 3M Quality Services include Hospital-acquired Conditions (HACs) and All-Cause Readmissions (ACRs) identified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Patient Safety Indicators (PSIs) from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and Proper Patient Placement (P3) metrics to assist hospitals in achieving compliance with the CMS 2-Midnight Rule.

Also included are 3M Potentially Preventable Complications (3M PPCs) and 3M Potentially Preventable Readmissions (3M PPRs), which identify potentially preventable events, and 3M All Patient Refined DRGs (3M APR DRGs), the industry standard for risk adjusting patient populations based on severity of illness and risk of mortality. 3M proprietary classification methodologies are used by more than 30 states for quality reporting and/or Medicaid reimbursement.

3M Quality Services builds on the 3M DRG Assurance Program, 3M’s industry-leading inpatient clinical documentation improvement (CDI) consulting service, which has been used by more than 1,500 U.S. hospitals to help physicians meet changing documentation requirements. 3M clients can take advantage of 3M Quality Services in conjunction with the 3M 360 Encompass System to create a concurrent quality review program with their CDI and coding teams to help improve their quality scores.

Visit the web for more information about 3M Quality Services or call 800-367-2447.

About 3M Health Information Systems
Best known for its market-leading coding system and ICD-10 expertise, 3M Health Information Systems delivers innovative software and consulting services designed to raise the bar for clinical documentation improvement, computer-assisted coding, performance monitoring, and quality outcomes reporting. 3M’s robust healthcare data dictionary and terminology services support data interoperability and the expansion and accuracy of the electronic health record. With nearly 30 years of healthcare industry experience and the know-how of more than 100 credentialed 3M coding experts, 3M is the go-to choice for more than 5,000 hospitals, as well as government and commercial payers that want to improve quality and financial performance. www.3Mhis.com.

3M media inquiries:Mollie Houns, 952-920-6951Price Houns Associates