CMS Changes in Reimbursement for HAIs: Setting A Research Agenda

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application is requesting support for a research development conference to be held in New York City at the New York Academy of Sciences on April 24th, 2009. The aim of this one day conference is to develop a research agenda to assess the impact of the recent changes in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reimbursement policies for hospital associated infections. While this conference is specific to infections, many of the issues and questions that are discussed as well as the resulting research agenda that is developed are likely to be transferable to other hospital-acquired conditions. Framed using the concepts of structure, process and outcomes we will bring together about 30 national experts and researchers who are influential in setting health policy, developing practice guidelines and providing direction for patient safety and infection prevention and control to discuss the potential responses by hospitals and how best to assess the impact of this policy change. Our key speakers include 1) a CMS representative who will provide an overview of the policy changes, the rationale for picking the specific conditions and the expected changes; 2) a CDC representative who will provide an overview of process and measurement issues that are important when considering what research needs to be done; 3) a health economist who will discuss the hospital incentives and potential changes in processes including unanticipated outcomes not compatible with best practices; and 4) an organizational behavior expert who will discuss issues related to structures and processes that lead to positive systematic changes that promote the desired quality outcomes. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Project Narrative The purpose of this conference is to develop a research agenda to assess the impact of the recent changes in Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reimbursement policies for hospital associated infections (HAI), which are a large portion of hospital acquired conditions (HAC), and have significant impact on the health of the public. Convening a group of national experts to discuss the issues and articulate a research agenda to evaluate the policy change is a first step in gaining knowledge regarding its impact.