VNA Care Network Recognized for Achievement in Pain Management
VNA Care Network was recently recognized for achieving and maintaining a statistically significant improvement in pain outcomes for patients as part of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) Home Health Quality Initiative (HHQI).
"Untreated pain has a tremendous impact on people's physical and emotional wellbeing," said Barbara Brooks, RN, vice president of clinical services for VNA Care Network. "We got involved in the initiative to further enhance our pain management efforts while improving patients' quality of life and ability to live independently during an illness or injury."
Agencies participating in the HHQI receive technical assistance to develop and implement plans of action to achieve improvement and were supported to share information and learn from their peers through interactive e-mail lists, web-based trainings, audio-conferences and workshops.
The initiative was facilitated locally by MassPro, the health care quality improvement organization for Massachusetts. Eighty agencies voluntarily participated in MassPro's HHQI, 20 of which received an outstanding achievement award in an area of patient care. VNA Care Network's pain improvement outcome was four percent higher than the national average.
For more information, contact VNA Care Network at 800-728-1862.
Posted: Oct. 17, 2005