CMS through the CMS Medicare Medicaid Innovation Center has made $500 million available for the new “Partnership for Patients” (PFP) program. The funding will help hospitals and healthcare provider organizations stop millions of preventable injuries and complications related to healthcare acquired conditions and unnecessary readmissions. The goal is to reduce harm in hospital settings by 40 percent and reduce hospital readmissions by 20 percent over a three year period.
On June 22, 2011, CMS released the pre-solicitation notice (APP111513) seeking a Patient Safety Hospital Engagement Contractor. The plan is to contract with large healthcare systems, associations, state organizations, and other interested parties to support hospitals in the hard work of redesigning care processes to reduce harm. CMS intends to award multiple firm-fixed price contracts by September 30, 2011.
The Contractors will be asked to do the following:
• Design intensive programs to teach and support hospitals to make care safer
• Conduct training for hospitals and care providers
• Provide technical assistance for hospitals and care providers
• Establish and implement a system to track and monitor hospital progress in meeting quality improvement goals
The funding can also address other areas such as adverse drug events, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, central one-associated blood stream infections, pressure ulcers, surgical site infections and, ventilator-associated pneumonia.
In addition to the Hospital Engagement Contractors, CMS will be working with other contractors to develop and share ideas and practices to improve patient safety. These efforts will include working with patients and families to improve patient safety and transitions between different healthcare settings.
In addition, CMS has planned an Industry Day that will include a webinar on July 6, 2011 from 1pm to 4pm EST to discuss the PFP program and solicitation. For more information, go to https://webinar.cms.hhs.gov/pfp-engagement or call (877) 267-1577. The participant code is 5045.
For more information on the RFP, go to www.fbo.gov. The primary point of contact for this solicitation is Richard B. Asher, Contract Specialist. Email richard.asher2@cms.hhs.gov or call (410) 786-4170.
