Rural Policy Research Institute Health Panel Response to CMS' Report to Congress: Plan to Implement a Medicare Hospital Value-based Purchasing Program

Authors

Andrew F. Coburn PhD, University of Southern Maine, Muskie School of Public Service, Maine Rural Health Research CenterFollow
A. Clinton MacKinney MD,MS, University of Iowa, College of Public Health
Timothy D. McBride PhD, Washington University in St. Louis, Brown School of Social Work
Keith J. Mueller PhD, University of Iowa, College of Public Health
Rebecca T. Slifkin PhD, University of North Carolina, Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
Mary Wakefield PhD, RN, University of North Dakota, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Center for Rural Health

Document Type

Report

Publication Date

10-1-2008

Keywords

Cutler, Population Health and Health Policy

Abstract

Comprehensive quality improvement programs are an important advance in US health care policy. Patients deserve to be safe in our nation’s hospitals and should demand that their health care providers place quality care above all other priorities. Quality improvement should be of critical strategic importance to hospitals. Yet, hospital-based quality improvement efforts may be costly and can negatively impact hospital profitability. This financial reality is unacceptable in a health care system that strives to be safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable. Therefore, the Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) Health Panel (Panel) strongly supports the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS’) exploration of payment alternatives designed to improve the quality of hospital care—including value-based purchasing (VBP).

Funding Organization

This report was funded by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, Cooperative Agreement Number U18 RH03719.

Recommended Citation

Coburn, A. F., MacKinney, A. C., McBride, T. D., Mueller, K. J., Slifkin, R. T., & Wakefield, M. K. (2008). Rural policy research institute health panel response to CMS' report to Congress: Plan to implement a Medicare hospital value-based purchasing program. Columbia, MO: Rural Policy Research Institute.