Seattle - Qualis Health and the Home Care Association of Washington (HCAW) will host the “US Home Healthcare Learning Tour” for Taiwanese home healthcare leaders in Seattle next week. The visit will run Monday, Oct. 22 through Friday, Oct. 26.
The tour represents a unique opportunity to meet with U.S. home health agencies active in quality improvement at both the national and state levels, and to accompany them on visits to patient homes.
Qualis Health and HCAW look to help the Taiwanese delegates learn how quality indicators are used to improve the quality of care at Washington’s home health agencies. The delegation also intends to learn about each agency’s quality improvement projects, see how they work with other organizations to improve the quality of care and assure cost-effectiveness, and look at how the agencies’ strategic plans supports quality activities.
“We are excited about the opportunity to share knowledge and experiences across international boundaries,” said Qualis Health President and CEO, Jonathan Sugarman, MD, MPH.
“Taiwan has the fastest growing aging population country in the world,” said Mei Tyan, a University of Washington doctoral student with the Taiwan Long Term Care Professionals Association. “The system approaches to improve quality of life for home health clients and reduce health care costs are expected to be key lessons from this home health panel learning tour,” she said.
“We’re looking forward to meeting our Taiwanese colleagues and to exchanging ideas and information,” said Donna Cameron, executive director of the HCAW. ”We’re excited and honored to have this opportunity to participate in the program”
Among the issues Qualis Health and HCAW will review with the Taiwanese are:
- U.S. Medicare home health reimbursement and quality indicators – Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS)
- Washington state home health regulation
- National and state level system design to support quality improvement initiatives
- Home Health Quality Improvement (HHQI) national campaign 2007
- Evidence-based Chronic Disease Management
- Outcome-based Quality Improvement (OBQI)
