Quality Quest Blog

It's National Health IT Week

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 14:05:41 -0500

It's National Health IT Week. Our nation stands on the threshold of dynamic improvements in healthcare. Great advances in health information technology (IT) and the possibility of a nationwide exchange of clinical information place true healthcare transformation within reach.

Schoolyard Garden a Collaborative Effort

Fri, 04 May 2012 13:23:07 -0500

The South Garden Urban Farmers Market will run every Wednesday from June 27 to Oct. 3 (excluding July 4) from 5 to 7 p.m. Cooking demonstrations and tastings are also planned. Watch the Gifts of the Moment website for updates on what produce and activities will be available when. The Urban Farmers Market is at will, meaning donations are appreciated, but not required to take home the fruit, vegetables, or herbs grown at the learning center

Colonoscopies Prevent Cancer

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 16:05:23 -0500

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. The most important thing you can do to help prevent colorectal cancer is to get a colonoscopy. Dr. Terry L. Baldwin, M.D. of the Illinois Gastroenterology Institute helped design Quest's Quality Colonoscopy public report.

Uncertainty Complicates Healthcare for Consumers with High Deductibles

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 14:56:15 -0500

More employers are moving to Consumer-Directed Health Plans (CDHPs), which are characterized by lower premiums, higher deductibles, and savings accounts to help with out-of-pocket expenses.

The goal is to save money. By shifting financial responsibility to the patient, proponents hope the money will be spent more wisely. This is often described as “having skin in the game”. Consumers who hold these types of plans are expected to be less passive about their care, insisting on quality and reasonable cost.

However, these consumers will find it difficult to make informed medical decisions when so much in healthcare is uncertain.

Regional Collaboratives: An American Movement

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 12:33:20 -0600

Quest belongs to the Network for Regional Healthcare Improvement, a national leadership organization for more than 40 non-profit collaboratives. The recently released report Regional Health Improvement Collaboratives: Essential Elements for Successful Healthcare Reform(second edition) documents the movement.

Employers use Preventive Care Calculator

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 14:45:19 -0600

Quest’s Adult Preventive Care Calculator is an application that lists all the preventive care services required for an individual based on age and gender. Users can print the results to discuss with their doctor. CEO Jay Vonachen promotes the application to his employees.

Survey: Doctors Not Always Open or Honest

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:44:18 -0600

Most doctors agree they need to fully inform patients and uphold confidentiality. However, some are not always successful in living up to those standards, according to a new survey. Physicians should strive for open and honest communication in order to respect patient autonomy.

Local OB/GYN on early elective deliveries

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:00:36 -0600

The Healthy Babies, Healthy Moms project aims to eliminate early elective deliveries. This means the delivery of a baby is scheduled too early for no medical reason. The convenient, yet potentially harmful practice has become increasingly common.

Dr. Barry Slotky will be offering his OB/GYN expertise to the Healthy Babies, Healthy Moms Facebook group.

allcharts: better, faster, less expensive healthcare

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:04:44 -0600

The Central Illinois Health Information Exchange anounced the launch of the CIHIE software allcharts™, along with its secure clinical messaging, to the media on Jan. 26.

Art of advocacy: The story of Regina Holliday

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:15:44 -0600

After a traumatic education in the limitations of the healthcare system, Regina Holliday took to protest by paint brush.

Project to eliminate early elective deliveries transitions into statewide effort

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 14:36:47 -0600

Research shows that scheduling babies for delivery prior to 39 weeks gestation is connected to a higher likelihood of death, admittance to a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), and life-long health problems.

Yet, an astonishing number of deliveries occur too early with no medical need – 23 percent in Illinois, according to the Leapfrog Group. The numbers show wide variation among hospitals.

The Healthy Babies, Healthy Moms team wants to eliminate early elective deliveries in Illinois.

Accelerating trend of near universal healthcare worker flu vaccination

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:40:42 -0600

In observance of National Influenza Vaccination Week (Dec. 4 to 10), Quest continues its reporting of the percentage of vaccinated employees at regional hospitals with the Flu Shot Percentage Report for the 2011-2012 flu season. It starts with October 2011 data and will be updated monthly through March 2012.

HIE Advisory Council awarded

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 13:33:49 -0600

Quest has awarded the Q Award, an annual award presented to a group or individual that advances the Quest mission, to the Health Information Exchange Advisory Council.

Designing health IT to work

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 10:23:39 -0500

Health IT can enhance patient care when properly designed, according to Dr. Neal Patel, Chief Informatics Officer at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn.

Dr. Patel was the keynote speaker at the Central Illinois Health Information Exchange (CIHIE) Summit: Patient Care and Connectivity, a medical conference held in East Peoria on Sept. 21.

Maureen Corry: Healthy babies are worth the wait

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 14:57:19 -0500

“Much of the care that women receive is not consistent with best evidence, despite the unprecedented body of comparative effectiveness research that is available to us in the field of maternity care,” said Maureen Corry, MPH, Executive Director of Childbirth Connection at Quality Quest’s annual board social held August 10 at Lakeview Museum.

CIHIE meeting celebrates progress

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 11:49:29 -0500

Data may actually be entered into the Central Illinois Health Information Exchange (CIHIE) in October. Volunteers gathered to honor the remarkable progress at the CIHIE annual meeting July 12.

CIHIE: Moving from concept stage to reality

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:50:00 -0500

All participating CIHIE providers have their own data systems, which will be integrated to a secure central system. Informatics Corporation of America (ICA) is the technology partner that will supply the infrastructure to aggregate all the data required to populate a patient's chart.

Methodist Medical Center's IT team hashed out preliminary plans with ICA representatives on Tuesday. ICA met with OSF Saint Francis the day before and will soon meet with Proctor Hospital, covering the three major hospitals of Peoria. They will meet with other charter member organizations in Bloomington and Decatur the rest of the week.

â��Savor of Mothersâ�� reminds us to learn from history, honor best evidence & eliminate early elective

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 14:53:19 -0500

The story of Hungarian physician Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis (1818 – 1865) has come to personify the struggle of advancing evidence on a medical community set in its ways.

High Tech Imaging: The Next Asbestos?

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 15:49:15 -0500

How Much is Too Much? High Tech Imaging Use and Radiation Safety, a Quest-sponsored continuing medical education (CME) conference, was held in Urbana on May 24 and in Chicago on May 23.

HIE: What Does it Mean for Me?

Thu, 12 May 2011 10:52:38 -0500

Central Illinois HIE is set to be operational by the end of 2011. Such announcements often herald the coming HIE as a new pinnacle in healthcare. But as with technological developments in any field, the consumer may be left to wonder: “What does it mean for me?”

HHC Conference: Exciting healthcare era has begun

Thu, 05 May 2011 06:01:07 -0500

"The next five years in healthcare are probably going to be the most exiting in the last 50," the President and CEO of Methodist Health Services Cooperation, Michael Bryant said, adding that providers are given a special moment to improve healthcare for future generations.

Bryant was one of four speakers at the Heartland Healthcare Coalition's 10th annual conference, "Accountable Care Organizations, Medical Homes, and Connectivity: The New Foundation for Health Care Services?"

Accountable Care Organziations

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 06:44:11 -0500

ACOs have been promoted as one way to improve healthcare value. While definitions vary, an ACO is seen as a group of providers coming together to accept accountability for providing high-value care to a defined population. ACOs are viewed as an alternative way for healthcare providers to contract with CMS and, by extension, other payers.

Transitioning to EHR: Harrington OB/GYN

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 10:31:58 -0500

Practice Manager Chris Owens calls on the central satellite office of the Illinois Health Information Technology Regional Extension Center (ILHITREC) to help ensure a smooth transition to electronic health records.

Meaningful Use Explained

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:08:32 -0500

By adopting electronic health record (EHR) software, physicians can earn up to $44,000 in Medicare bonuses or nearly $64,000 from Medicaid under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. In order to qualify for the incentive dollars, participants must demonstrate that the technology is being implemented in a useful manner, or achieving what the government deems “meaningful use.”

Health fair uses Preventive Care Calculator

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 09:51:51 -0500

A recent health fair used Quality Quest’s Preventive Care Calculator to educate participants on recommended preventative health screenings.

Illinois doctor recommends Preventive Care Calculator

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 04:24:12 -0500

Dr. Christopher Miles from Methodist Medical Group in Washington uses the calculator to help evaluate every patient.

Medical Checklists Part 2

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 06:29:20 -0600

Studies show the humble, inexpensive checklist can save lives.

Modern healthcare is so complex, doctors and staff can no longer rely on memory alone to execute proper care, according to Dr. Atul A. Gawande, author of the Checklist Manifesto. Hospitals are beginning to implement checklists to remind the crew of crucial steps in routine care procedures. The result: amazing improvement in healthcare quality.

Medical Checklists Part 1

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 07:56:27 -0600

Studies show the humble, inexpensive checklist can save lives.

Healthy Babies, Health Moms Team

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 09:40:01 -0600

Quest is ringing in the New Year with an important new project, Healthy Babies, Healthy Moms, which promises to be truly exciting. Babies grow and develop at an incredible rate throughout pregnancy. To have the best chance of a safe and healthy birth, babies that can go to term, should go to term.

MRI Costs

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 10:42:09 -0600

Recently, Quest was asked why the charge for an MRI test (Magnetic Resonance Image) would be different from center to center.

"I'm curious why there is such a big difference in the cost of an MRI. I had one done recently billed at $4500.00. That is almost double what most other places charge. Aren't these costs regulated? I wouldn't think that one machine would be better than everyone else's."

HIE Plans Moving Forward

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 15:46:11 -0600

HIE planning for central Illinois has reached an exciting new milestone.

What is Health Information Exchange?

Wed, 17 Nov 2010 15:41:20 -0600

Health information exchange is the process of securely sharing patient information from electronic medical records, insurance claims and other sources, such as prescribing information, in an electronic format between healthcare providers. For example, an HIE makes it possible for a physician, with patient permission, to have access to a patient’s complete health history during an office visit. If tests are conducted at three different hospitals and a physician office, the physician will be able to see all the results from participating organizations.

Women's Lifestyle Show

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 14:06:07 -0600

Two weeks ago, Quality Quest for Health of Illinois teamed up with Great Harvest Bread Company and participated in the 2010 Women’s Lifestyle show here in Peoria.

Tobacco Control

Mon, 18 Oct 2010 08:25:20 -0500

Tobacco is the number one cause of preventable death and disability.

Healthy LIfestyles Outreach Initiatives

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 11:36:56 -0500

As a result of initial work completed by the Healthy Lifestyles School Project Team and recommendations presented to the Full Service Community School Advisory Board in June, exciting new activities and outreach are taking place.

Healthy Lifestyles School Project

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 15:44:10 -0500

Insights on Ordering High Tech Imaging Procedures

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 10:01:32 -0500

Participation on the Quality Quest High Tech Diagnostic Imaging Team proved to be a valuable personal experience that has significantly influenced aspects of my professional practice behavior. I have long appreciated the invaluable diagnostic benefits derived from high-tech imaging (HTI) studies and the skill of those who provide expert interpretation. However, from my experience with this team, I discovered there was much for me to learn and revisit regarding several of the adverse considerations associated with HTI studies.

Employers Can Help Build Healthcare Quality and Value

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 10:15:21 -0500

For employers, quality healthcare means having a healthy workforce, benefiting from increased productivity, and getting better value for each healthcare dollar.

Why Don't People Use Generic Medications?

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 15:52:38 -0500

A Harvard Medical School study finds out what patients really think about generic medications.

Performance Reporting

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 13:33:14 -0500

One important change that would truly reform healthcare would be to make healthcare performance more transparent, that is, to start reporting on doctor and hospital outcomes: do they make patients better?; how often do patients receive the proper medical care?; what are the re-admittance rates?; etc. Reporting results such as these gives power to healthcare consumers to choose providers who will give them the best care.

All Procedures are Not Created Equal

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 07:53:40 -0500

The individual healthcare experience is comprised of a series of procedures. Each procedure begins with the first visit to a healthcare provider for a given condition, and ends with fulfillment of the condition's treatment. An annual physical is relatively simple, and typically involves only one step. More complicated conditions requiring surgery or other intensive treatments consist of multiple steps from beginning to end. Whether the treatment requires just one step, or many, the entire process is considered one procedure.

What Diet Should I Be On?

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 07:41:20 -0500

Whether it’s for better health, control of cholesterol, diabetes or weight loss people commonly ask –What diet should I be on??? One only needs to browse the diet book aisles of their favorite book store or search this topic online to be inundated with thousands of books and articles touting the newest and BEST diet. If you pause to think about it, if there really WAS a BEST diet, wouldn’t there be only ONE book that we all would follow? Unfortunately the latest fads tend to catch on because they promise fast results with little sacrifice. As anyone who has tried these diets can tell you, the promise usually goes unfulfilled and the results are typically disappointing and short lived.

Evidence Based Care

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 11:45:24 -0500

The use of evidence-based medicine (EBM) by physicians improves the quality of patient care and assists in determining the “right”care at the “right” time in the “right” amount for the “right” person. It also helps to reduce disparities in the type of care being given throughout the country, meaning geographic location or socioeconomic status will not affect the quality of care a patient receives.

What is Necessary Care?

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 11:32:20 -0500

A 57-year-old low risk healthcare worker went into his physician office recently for a completely routine check-up. He had no complaints and the internist proceeded to probing the chronic problem list with questions. The blood pressure was under excellent control on Lisinopril. A 2008 lipid profile showed the cholesterol under excellent control with Simvastatin. The last hearing evaluation was from 2006 and the patient had no sense of worsening high frequency hearing loss. The sleep apnea appeared under good control and there had been no weight gain since a CPAP machine was started in 2006. A colonoscopy done in 2000, at age 47, for occasional blood noted on the toilet tissue, was negative. There were no new GI symptoms and the hemocult exam was negative. A review of past immunizations disclosed the absence of a hepatitis A or B vaccine. The physical was normal except for a small mole on the back that was “probably normal.

QQ Medical Guidelines

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 14:27:48 -0500

At Quest, we identify medicine as evidence-based when it has shown there is a health benefit. Quality Quest has chosen to follow guidelines established by the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI). Since its start in 1993, ICSI has worked in Minnesota to improve patient care by promoting evidence-based medicine. ICSI is a non-profit organization that’s comprised of 57 medical groups and sponsored by six Minnesota and Wisconsin health plans. A team of medical experts developed best-practice guidelines for many medical conditions based on what was known about their value. ICSI categorizes guidelines on two levels, best evidence and good evidence, and includes a third level of services that have incomplete evidence. These guidelines are updated yearly based on new practices and information.

Quality Quest Awareness Campaign

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 11:23:39 -0500

Patients and families have the potential to be one of the most powerful forces driving improvement in our healthcare system. Quality Quest for Health of Illinois is working to make sure people have information to help them get excellent healthcare. The healthcare they need and deserve. We're on a quest to improve healthcare and you can help.

Healthy Lifestyles School Project

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 11:07:19 -0500

The Healthy Lifestyles School Project originated in the summer of 2009 with the goal of promoting healthy lifestyle choices among students and families at Garfield Primary School, Trewyn Middle School and Manual High School in Peoria. The Full Service Community Schools (FSCS) Advisory Council proposed the project to Quest and a team was assembled. Team members included a wide variety of local stakeholders: school principals and staff, local government officials, youth, health and community focused non-profits, parents, nutritionists, medical experts, and local businesses.

The Medical Home- Will It Deliver On Its Promise?

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 09:09:25 -0500

So what exactly is this new “Patient Centered Medical Home” (PCMH) and why has it become the new buzzword for healthcare reform? Matter of fact, it is mentioned at least 15 times in the recent healthcare reform legislation. Recognizing that having access to primary care is the key to improving healthcare outcomes, everyone from payers, purchasers, physicians and patients are hoping that the medical home will improve quality and drive down healthcare costs.

Solid Research: Taking the Uncertainty Out of Healthcare

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:29:18 -0500

The Problem

For most consumers, the healthcare industry offers a host of uncertainty. The cost and duration of each visit are difficult to predict, and quality of care can be even more complicated to judge. Not only that, but consumers don’t often know what treatment options are even available to them, leaving them to simply accept their doctor's preferred treatment method. Consumers who want to learn more about their options usually need to find second opinions from another physician which can be a costly and extremely time consuming process. Even if a consumer manages to successfully investigate all of his or her treatment options, determining the possible risks and benefits of each method is another matter entirely.

As consumers, we don't tolerate such an extreme lack of information in any other industry, and it certainly doesn't make sense to tolerate it in an industry that we rely on to help maintain our health. This then leads to the question, what can be done to fix the problem?

Electronic Record Keeping

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 08:12:17 -0500

A substantial part of reducing waste in healthcare can be accomplished through widespread institution of electronic health records (EHRs). Too often, tests and procedures are repeated on patients because the providers do not have records of what care the patient has already had. This kind of unnecessary care makes up more than $500 billion every year that, with EHRs, could be cut out of healthcare spending. EHRs are also useful in tracking both long- and short-term care schedules, keeping providers and patients aware of when procedures like mammograms, colonoscopies, and diabetes-related tests need to be done.

Why Transform Healthcare in Illinois?

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 07:39:31 -0500

At Quality Quest, we are committed to advancing a high-quality, patient-centered, and cost-effective healthcare system. We believe it is critical for community members to work together on shared health-related priorities. We also believe it is important to engage consumers to take more responsibility for their own health and work as partners with their healthcare providers.

Physician Shares His Practice's Service and Clinical Performance With Patients

Thu, 03 Jun 2010 11:45:42 -0500

An Interview with Dr. Michael Jongerius

I'm originally from St. Louis and I went to college and medical school at the University of Missouri in Columbia. After that, I did my primary care residency in York, PA. I then started practicing medicine in Peoria to fulfill a commitment with the Health Service Corps. When I completed that, I intended to go back to St. Louis to practice, but there was an opening that appealed to me for a physician in a Methodist rural practice in Princeville, that included a large migrant health population. Following some time there, I had the opportunity to help start a practice on an expanding edge of Peoria. Several years down the road, I decided to take an administrative position, but before long, I missed the clinical work. I wanted to return to practicing medicine, but do it differently than before, in my own way. That leads me to where I am today, in my Junction Medical practice which I opened in January 2009.