Colorado Health Networks'
Quality Management Program
Quality Improvement Steering Committee Description
The primary goal of Colorado Health Networks’ Quality Program is to continuously improve client care and services. The SyCare-Options and West Slope-Options Boards of Managers have given responsibility for oversight of the Quality Program for the Medicaid contract to the Quality Improvement Steering Committee (QISC). The QISC meets at least quarterly. QISC’s main activities focus on tracking and evaluating information on how well CHN is providing client care and services, and insuring we are meeting the requirements of our contract. QISC reviews reports that contain information about client satisfaction, complaints, access to services, hospital readmissions, quality of care, cultural competency and more. If QISC finds a problem area, QISC works to identify the cause of the problem, and develops corrective action plans. After an action plan is put into place, QISC will review reports to be sure the problem is improving.
FY06 Quality Improvement Steering Committee Goals
The Quality Improvement Steering Committee has identified the following goals for fiscal year 2006:
- Further integrate consumer and family member involvement with QISC efforts. |
- Ensure clinical practice standards and contract requirements as applicable, are met by providers (CMHC and non-CMHC providers and clinical care managers.
- Systemically analyze and evaluate outcomes data.
- Jointly (QISC and CAUMC) identify, evaluate and take action on opportunities for clinical practice improvement.
- Evaluate QISC effectiveness and efficiency.
- Evaluate documentation of emergency evaluations for children/adolescents.
- Ensure compliance with EQRO standards.
- QISC will evaluate the FY 2006 QI Work Plan and review Quality Program Plan.
Quality Indicator Data
MHSIP Survey Results Each year, Colorado Mental Health Services conducts a Medicaid consumer satisfaction survey, the Mental Health Statistics Improvement Program (MHSIP), which focuses on consumer satisfaction in a variety of areas. CHN then compares the results to the aggregate results across the state. CHN’s Quality Improvement Steering Committee evaluates the results to identify areas needing improvement. Below are some of CHN's results for fiscal year 2004.
- 92% of respondents answered Strongly Agree, Agree or are Neutral that they liked the services that they received,
- 93% of respondents answered Strongly Agree, Agree or are Neutral that services were available at times that were good,
- 96% of respondents answered Strongly Agree, Agree or are Neutral that staff respected their wishes about who is and isn't to be given information about their treatment and,
- 92 % of respondents answered Strongly Agree, Agree or are Neutral that staff were respectful of their cultural or ethnic background.
Fact Finders Survey Fact Finders is a survey company that Colorado Health Networks uses to conduct consumer and provider satisfaction surveys. Below are some of the consumer responses we received in 2004.
- 89% felt they were satisfied with the mental health services they received,
- 83.5% felt their therapist offered them convenient appointment times,
- 97.2% felt their therapist protected their confidentiality and,
- 96.1% felt their therapist was sensitive to their cultural, ethnic and religious needs.
Access Reporting and Standards The State of Colorado has standards for access time frames. Included in these time frames are: Emergencies (face to face evaluations within 1 hour for urban areas and 2 hours in rural areas), Urgent Care (face to face evaluations within 24 hours) and Routine Appointments (initial appointments are offered within 7 days). Colorado Health Networks checks availability for both internal and external providers on a quarterly basis. Fiscal Year 2005 information for CHN follows.
- Emergent Appointment Availability - 98.54% of emergency evaluations met the standard,
- Urgent Appointment Availability - 100% of Urgent face to face evaluations met the standard,
- Routine Appointment Availability - 93.73% of Routine appointments met the standard.
Complaint and Grievances Colorado Grievance or Complaint standards state that all complaints must be handled within 15 working days.
- Fiscal year 2005 complaint turnaround time for Colorado Health Networks was 8.88 days.
For more information about our current quality activities, please contact the
Director of Quality Management at 800-804-5040 extension 1450.
The information and content provided on the CHN site are offered for informational purposes only and should not be treated as medical, psychiatric, psychological or behavioral health care advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or behavioral health condition.