Dec 20, 2023
Mobilizing Clinical Images with KHIE: A Look into the KHIE Image Exchange
Andrew Bledsoe is back with another exciting episode! Join cohosts Brent McKune and Stephen Williams as they sit down with KY State HIT Director and KHIE Deputy Executive Director, Andrew Bledsoe. Gain a comprehensive overview of KHIE’s role in facilitating health data exchange, with a special focus on the Image Exchange component. If you’re a healthcare organization looking to connect, find out how KHIE can assist you on this journey. Tune in for valuable insights into enhancing healthcare interoperability and ensuring seamless data exchange.
Learn more about KHIE at their website, KHIE.ky.gov
Andrew Bledsoe is currently KY State HIT Director and KHIE Deputy Executive Director
The intersection of health information technology with quality care delivery has provided Andrew with a unique perspective over his nearly 20 years in healthcare. Starting his career in a regional hospital, he quickly learned the challenges in healthcare, especially rural medicine, and began investing in the concept of leveraging health information technology to improve outcomes for patients. His current appointment within the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services primarily focuses on implementing the KHIE Strategic and Operational Plan, promoting the statewide exchange of patient health information, spearheading a number of new services designed to improve care coordination, and offer new avenues to reduce reporting burdens and foster inter-agency collaboration.
Listen to our podcast on Buzzsprout, or Spotify and Apple Podcasts. All previous episodes are available.
If you need assistance with health information technology, contact the Kentucky REC at 859-323-3090 or by email.
Nov 20, 2023
CMS released the 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Final Rule on Nov 2, 2023. This final rule includes updates to the MIPS/MVP and APM Tracks of the Quality Payment Program (QPP), Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) models, as well as other need-to-know updates, including adjustments to PFS payment rates, SDOH & telehealth services reimbursement.
As part of this 2024 Final Rule, CMS has moved to finalize 5 new additional MVPs to further expand this pathway of the QPP in coming years. CMS also finalized policies regarding the reporting expansion of the Promoting Interoperability Performance Category. Lastly, CMS has finalized additional Cost Performance Category measures that Eligible Clinicians (ECs) and groups may be evaluated on in the upcoming 2024 performance year. This webinar will help you learn what these and other critical updates will mean for your practice.
Already a QPP client or interested in becoming one? Get a jump start on preparing for the new year by joining our upcoming webinar. As a client, you receive exclusive access to our analysis of this regulation.
Mark your calendars for “Client Only QPP Final Rule First Look” on Tuesday, December 12th at 12pm EST.
Additional open to the public webinars will be available in 2024 highlighting major updates and implications to eligible clinicians and practices related to this final ruling.
To speak with the team on how we can best support you, feel free to contact us HERE.
For additional information on the 2024 PFS/Quality Payment Program Final Rule, the final ruling can be downloaded from the Federal Register HERE.
The CMS 2023 Final Rule overview fact sheet, PFS fact sheet, and MSSP Fact Sheets are available through these links:
PFS/QPP Fact Sheet: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/calendar-year-cy-2024-medicare-physician-fee-schedule-final-rule
MSSP Fact Sheet: https://edit.cms.gov/files/document/mssp-fact-sheet-cy-2023-pfs-final-rule.pdf
Contact YOUR Experts at the Kentucky REC for all your QPP, MIPS/MVP, and APM Track questions. We are here to help. Call us at 859-323-3090.
QPP Year 7: Client Only Final Rule First Look*
Tuesday Dec 12, 2023 @ 12PM ET
*This webinar is for Kentucky REC contracted QPP clients only. If you are interested in this topic and would like to learn more about becoming a client, please contact us at (859) 323-3090 or email us at KYRec@uky.edu. We aim to be your trusted healthcare advisor!
Jun 9, 2022
SAVE THE DATE! DECEMBER 8, 2022 – Kentucky REC Annual Conference – With KHIE
During our day together, we’ll discuss quality initiatives, HIPAA, Telehealth, and more to ensure that clinicians, hospital and ambulatory administrators, and clinic staff are well prepared for the challenges of modern healthcare. We’ll have both in person and virtual options.
Details, Agenda, and Registration Coming Soon!
Questions? Contact us at Kentucky REC or call us at 859-323-3090.
Nov 15, 2021
DECEMBER 2, 2021 – Kentucky REC Annual Conference
Hybrid Event with Special Guest Speakers – In Person and Virtual
Lexington Kentucky, Malone’s Prime Events Center
FEATURED SPEAKER – JESSICA SASS, UK HEALTHCARE Deputy Executive Director
Implementing Population Health Management at UK Healthcare
As the leading academic-based medical center in the state and one of the largest referral centers in the nation, UK Healthcare has a mission to improve the overall health and well-being of Kentuckians across the Commonwealth and beyond. This presentation will encompass a case study of the strategic goals and implementation processes in developing a robust Population Health Management program within an Academic Medical Center and will identify elements critical for scaling and implementation across multiple care settings.
Jessica Sass is Director of Ambulatory Population Health at UKHC as well as a Nurse Practitioner for Family & Community Medicine. The focus of Sass’s work has been on transformative care, population health, care transitions and quality improvement.
She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree at the University of Kentucky. Prior to this, she earned a Master of Science degree in nursing from the University of Missouri – Kansas City and a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Missouri Western State College. Licensed as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse since 2004, she has worked in various care settings which include a critical access hospital in rural Northeast Kansas, providing care in the primary care clinic, emergency department and inpatient setting; the county health department in the Women’s Health Program, an Urgent Care facility and a Level 1 trauma emergency department.
In addition, Sass completed a fellowship with the Duke-Johnson & Johnson Nurse Leadership Program focused on leadership and management skills, the Chief Quality Officer Professional Development Program through the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) and the Agile Implementation Bootcamp through the Center for Health Innovation and Implementation Science (IU). She is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the Kentucky Association of Nurse Practitioners and Nurse Midwives.
During our day together, we’ll have guest speakers, along with presentations on quality initiatives, HIPAA, Telehealth, and more to ensure that clinicians, hospital administrators, and clinic staff are well prepared for the challenges of modern healthcare. Our valued partners at KHIE, the Kentucky Health Information Exchange, will be presenting along with us.
We are pleased to be hosting our first ever HYBRID event to give our attendees the option to attend either in person* or virtually. All registrants will receive links to session recordings after the event.
Questions? Contact us at Kentucky REC or call us at 859-323-3090.
*Masks are required during our in person event based on UK HealthCare COVID guidelines.
Nov 8, 2021
DECEMBER 2, 2021 – Kentucky REC Annual Conference
Hybrid Event with Special Guest Speakers – In Person and Virtual
Lexington Kentucky, Malone’s Prime Events Center
FEATURED SPEAKER – ANDREW BLEDSOE, KHIE Deputy Executive Director
Bridges to Coordinating Care: The New KHIE!
KHIE is an interoperable electronic network that supports the exchange of patient health information among healthcare providers across the Commonwealth and beyond. KHIE’s goal is to aid and assist in patient care delivery. Currently, KHIE has over 8000 connections within Kentucky where patient information is exchanged and provided back to healthcare agencies.
Andrew Bledsoe, KY State HIT Director and KHIE Deputy Executive Director, will provide a deep dive into the multitude of KHIE Services and how they can assist with both clinical care coordination and COVID reporting. Exciting KHIE enhancements include a connection to the National eHealth Exchange allowing access to important data from healthcare providers from across the country including the VA, DOD, and the SSA, further broadening the scope of care coordination. In addition, KHIE has recently finished functionality on an Image Exchange Program allowing images to be shared both from hospital PAC systems and displayed to users via the KHIE ePartnerViewer Provider Portal. Starting initially with KY hospitals, KHIE’s goal is to broaden the scope to include diagnostic centers and other healthcare disciplines that rely on imaging. Andrew will also describe improvements to the KHIE Provider Portal allowing users to automatically or manually add COVID-19 Lab Results, Vaccine Reporting, in addition to allowing users to upload notes designed to share patient data.
For more information, contact Andrew and his team at www.khie.ky.gov
During our day together, we’ll have guest speakers, along with presentations on quality initiatives, HIPAA, Telehealth, and more to ensure that clinicians, hospital administrators, and clinic staff are well prepared for the challenges of modern healthcare. Our valued partners at KHIE, the Kentucky Health Information Exchange, will be presenting along with us.
We are pleased to be hosting our first ever HYBRID event to give our attendees the option to attend either in person* or virtually. All registrants will receive links to session recordings after the event.
Questions? Contact us at Kentucky REC or call us at 859-323-3090.
*Masks are required during our in person event based on UK HealthCare COVID guidelines.
Nov 1, 2021
DECEMBER 2, 2021 – Kentucky REC Annual Conference
Hybrid Event with Special Guest Speakers – In Person and Virtual
Lexington Kentucky, Malone’s Prime Events Center
FEATURED PRESENTATION – Quality Improvement Mindset: Hardwiring Adaptability and High Reliability in Healthcare
Kentucky REC Quality & Value Team Lead Jessica Elliot and Team Member Vance Drakeford will discuss sustaining Quality Improvement initiatives through the adoption and implementation of improvement science methodology. They will share ways to foster a culture of continuous quality improvement in the healthcare setting and how to leverage technology and innovation to drive patient-centered care outcomes in a clinical setting.
During our day together, we’ll have guest speakers, along with presentations on quality initiatives, HIPAA, Telehealth, and more to ensure that clinicians, hospital administrators, and clinic staff are well prepared for the challenges of modern healthcare. Our valued partners at KHIE, the Kentucky Health Information Exchange, will be presenting along with us.
We are pleased to be hosting our first ever HYBRID event to give our attendees the option to attend either in person* or virtually. All registrants will receive links to session recordings after the event.
Questions? Contact us at Kentucky REC or call us at 859-323-3090.
*Masks are required during our in person event based on UK HealthCare COVID guidelines.
