Administrative Memos

200502

FROM: Theodore O. Will, Chief Executive Officer
DATE: Jan 20, 2005
SUBJECT: HOSPITAL PAYMENT MONITORING PROGRAM (HPMP) - COLLABORATIVE LEARNING SERIES
IPRO CONTACTS:

Kathy Terry, Ph.D., Senior Director, Medicare/Federal Health Care Assessment, Extension 226

IPRO, the Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) for New York State, in collaboration with the New York Health Care and Professional Associations, is pleased to announce a new Hospital Payment Monitoring Program (HPMP) interactive, web-based learning series. This collaborative educational initiative will cover a range of topics spanning utilization and DRG/coding concerns. Current program content has been developed by IPRO and the Health Care/ Professional Associations but will be expanded to include hospital suggested topics as the series evolves. Our goal is to provide exceptional services and resources for, and with, the New York health care community to facilitate reduction in the Medicare payment error rate.

All of the collaborative learning sessions will be recorded and available in a virtual library on JENY (http://jeny.ipro.org under Payment Error and Case Review Initiatives). However, it is strongly suggested that at least one (1) hospital representative participate in each live session so that your hospital-specific concerns/questions may be addressed.

At the present time, there are two scheduled learning collaboratives with additional sessions under development. The first session entitled "Welcome to Your Collaborative" is scheduled for February 17, 2005 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and includes: an overview of program intent, suggestions as to how the learning session information may be utilized, suggested hospital staff that would benefit from participation, and an update as to the New York State payment error rate. We will also discuss the top-denied Medicare DRGs for NYS today, as well as related coding tips to mitigate error. Information will also be provided regarding the best method for submitting your suggestions for future learning sessions.

The second Learning Collaborative entitled "Focus on Hospital Issued Notices of Non-Coverage (HINNs)" is scheduled for March 22, 2005 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The "Focus on HINNs" collaborative will provide a brief overview of HINNs followed by a discussion of hospital-submitted questions. Your Health Care Associations are currently soliciting questions for this session. You may submit additional questions until February 25, 2005, to either your association representative or you may post questions directly to IPRO's JENY website (http://jeny.ipro.org under Payment Error and Case Review Initiatives subsection HINNs).

Hospitals must register to participate in each Collaborative Learning Session with registration available at https://ifmcevents.webex.com. Detailed registration instructions for each session are available on Attachment I. Hospital participants will need access to both the Internet and a telephone line for participation in all trainings. While we encourage multiple hosptial participants from each facility, we request your assistance in keeping slots open for all hospitals wishing to participate. Please encourage staff within your facility to share the computer/phone line used for the training event. In addition, IPRO will make on-line recordings of all Collaborative Learning Sessions available at http://jeny.ipro.org under Payment Error and Case Review Initiatives.

Should you have any questions or comments about this Memorandum, please contact Dr. Kathy Terry, Sr. Director, Medicare/Federal Health Care Assessment at 516-326-7767, extension 226.