The Hospital Quality Improvement Contractor (HQIC) provides continued support in quality and patient safety to eligible hospitals.  HQIC builds effectively upon the achievements of the recent Hospital Improvement Innovation Network (HIIN).

HQIC supports rural and critical access hospitals, as well as those hospitals serving vulnerable populations. Altogether, CMS has identified more than 2,600 hospitals nationally that are eligible to participate, including more than 100 hospitals in Kansas.

KHC and KHA partner with the Iowa Healthcare Collaborative as part of the Compass HQIC Network, which serves hospitals in Kansas, Iowa, Mississippi, and South Dakota. As part of the Compass Network, KHC and its partners provide enrolled hospitals valued services, technical assistance, data, and intervention support as part of this initiative.

Since 2012, KHC has successfully led previous cycles of CMS hospital-based initiatives statewide—namely the Hospital Engagement Network (1.0 and 2.0) and the Hospital Improvement Innovation Network (HIIN).

HQIC focuses on three of the four CMS aims, which are aligned with the CMS Rural Health Strategy:

Aim 1:  Improve Behavioral Health Outcomes, with a focus on decreased opioid misuse;
Aim 2:  Increase patient safety with a focus on reduction of harm, and
Aim 4:  Increase the quality of care transitions with a focus on high utilizers in an effort to improve overall utilization.

Note:  Goal 3 is directly addressed in the HQIN initiatives to improve chronic disease management and prevention (cardiac, vascular health, diabetes, and kidney disease.)

For more information, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (785) 235-0763.