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Statement in Response to Senate Finance Committee Request For Information about QIO Conferences
| STATEMENT |
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Contact: Richard Deutsch |
| January 6, 2005 |
202-261-7573 |
Statement
in Response to Senate Finance Committee Request For Information about
QIO Conferences
On January
4, the Senate Finance Committee Chairman sent a letter to CMS Administrator
Dr. Mark McClellan raising concerns about government funds spent on conferences
attended by QIOs. The letter given to the Post contains a number of inaccuracies
and unwarranted conclusions.
Here are the
facts:
- The letter
wrongly and inappropriately characterizes QIO meetings based on photos
of an after-hour networking event which was not paid for with Medicare
funds. A look at QIO conference agendas clearly shows these are invaluable
educational meetings with dozens of sessions scheduled every day from 7
AM into the evening.
- QIO conferences
allow for sharing effective strategies for improving health care to save
lives. For staff to meet face to face to learn from each other is not
only appropriate, but essential.
- The TriRegional
meeting referenced in the Committee’s letter is not an AHQA meeting, as the Post article incorrectly states. Further, holding this meeting in the off-season in St. Petersburg, FL costs less than a similar meeting in Washington, DC, or other major urban venues. For example, the TriRegional 2005 hotel cost attendees $150 per night, while next week’s hotel rate for a conference in DC held by the HHS Office of Minority Health is $187 per night.
- AHQA hosts
a small retreat for about 40 QIO CEOs and physician leaders at a different
attractive venue each year. These leadership retreats focus on leadership
education and training. We choose locations to encourage attendance.
- The letter
also asks CMS for information about whether CMS officials were provided
with favors by AHQA. AHQA has never inappropriately provided access
to property or compensation to government officials.
The
American Health Quality Association is dedicated to improving the safety and effectiveness of health care. AHQA represents the national network of Quality Improvement Organizations (QIOs) that work with hospitals, medical practices, health plans, long-term care facilities, home health agencies, and employers to encourage the spread of best clinical practices and improve systems of care delivery. Visit: www.ahqa.org.
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