Press Releases

Today, Congressman Jim McGovern (MA-02), applauded the announcement by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that the University of Massachusetts Medical School would receive up to $29.2 million through the Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative to equip more than Massachusetts clinicians with the tools and support needed to improve quality of care, increase patients’ access to information, and reduce costs for Massachusetts families.

“Our families deserve access to quality, affordable health care and this partnership between UMass Medical School and the UConn Health Center will help to achieve that,” said Congressman McGovern. “With this initiative, UMass Medical School will support healthy communities by helping health care providers to improve the quality of their care, increase patient access to information, and ensure we’re getting the most bang for our buck on health care spending. I am grateful to have a strong partner in HHS Secretary Burwell to invest in our communities and look forward to seeing all that UMass Medical School will achieve through this important initiative.”

The Southern New England Practice Transformation Network – created by UMass Medical School and the University of Connecticut Health Center – was one of the 39 health care collaborative networks selected for the funding. The funding will support the network in offering peer-to-peer support to primary and specialty physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, clinical pharmacists, and their practices. These efforts include:

• Helping providers give patients better tools for communication through e-mails and other information technology applications;
• Providing dedicated coaches to help practices better manage chronic disease and offer preventive care;
• Offering real-time notification alerts for clinicians caring for high-risk patients;
• Improving screening and treatment of mental health and substance abuse across multiple care settings and increasing patient medication management education; 
• Centralizing data reporting and providing technical assistance with quality improvement targets and mid-course corrections; and
• Promoting patient, provider and community engagement through advisory boards and community engagement in learning collaboratives.

“Supporting doctors and other health care professionals change the way they work is critical to improving quality and spending our health care dollars more wisely,” said HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell. “These awards will give patients more of the information they need to make informed decisions about their care and give clinicians access to information and support to improve care coordination and quality outcomes.”

“Anchored by a partnership between Massachusetts’ and Connecticut’s public medical schools and four large regional health care systems, the Southern New England Practice Transformation Network is designing and implementing an improvement model that supports clinical practices in the transformation needed for success under alternative payment models,” said David Polakoff, MD, MSc, chief medical officer and associate dean of UMass Medical School’s Commonwealth Medicine division. “Our network will focus its efforts on small, independent, rural practices, which have been historically underserved by transformation initiatives.”

As a Practice Transformation Network, UMass Medical School and UConn Health Center will support efforts by 5,400 clinicians to expand their quality improvement capacity, learn from one another, and achieve common goals of improved care, better health, and reduced costs. Initial network partners include Baycare Health Partners, Baystate Health, Berkshire Health Systems, eHealthConnecticut, Qualis Health, Massachusetts eHealth Institute, Massachusetts Health Policy Commission, and UMass Memorial Health Care. Other eligible health care systems and clinical practices will be invited to join the network.

The network will help participating clinicians meet clinical and operational results through coaching on clinical quality measures and new care delivery models, enhancing effective use of health information technology, strengthening the medical neighborhood through communication and coordination, disseminating best practices, and implementing payment methodologies that create long-term sustainability.

These awards are part of a comprehensive strategy advanced by the Affordable Care Act that enables new levels of coordination, continuity, and integration of care, while transitioning volume-driven systems to value-based, patient-centered, health care services. It builds upon successful models and programs such as the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Organization Program, Partnership for Patients with Hospital Engagement Networks, and Accountable Care Organizations.  

For more information on the Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative, please visit: http://innovation.cms.gov/initiatives/Transforming-Clinical-Practices/      

###