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HRSA
is committed to a comprehensive approach to
quality assurance. A key component of this approach
is risk management. HRSA has worked with the
Risk Management Foundation Strategies (RMFS),
an operating division of the RMF of the Harvard
Medical Institutions, to provide online risk
management educational programs and resources
for 450 health centers, free of charge. Health
centers interested in participating in the Web-Based
Clinical Risk Management Resource Initiative
for Health Centers (Initiative) will complete
a web-based application found at http://www.rmfstrategies.com/hrsa_risk.
Health centers chosen to participate in the
Initiative will receive a subscription code,
and instructions for using the website during
a pilot period from August 1, 2005 through July
31, 2006. Health centers may apply as early
as June 30, 2005, but no later than December
31, 2005 to be eligible to participate.
Risk
Management Foundation Strategies Background: |
RMFS has 25 years of experience working with
the nation's leading academic and community
medical institutions whose patients represent
diverse populations. RMFS uses a national database
of 60,000 medical malpractice claims to design
products, services and programs that link clinical
quality to the legal and financial aspects of
risk management.
Two
online subscription resources will be offered
to 450 health centers. CME Online (http://hrsa.rmfcme.com)
is a website where clinicians can register and
participate in eight risk management courses,
learning about current problems in health care
risk management while earning professional continuing
education credits. The courses are designed
by risk management experts using input from
clinicians who are renowned leaders in the field
of patient safety for each clinical specialty.
The course list includes topics in patient safety,
improving communications in health care, and
key clinical risk areas.
RMFinteractive
(http://www.rmfinteractive.com)
is an online, interactive health care risk management
website and library where individuals can register
to access articles, participate in interactive
exercises, listen to audio news, and stay informed
about managing risk in key target areas.
Rationale
for Health Centers’ Participation:
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RMFS’
national database of claims shows that the number
of claims and suits arising in the office setting
has increased by 50 percent in the past five
years, and clinical decision-making is a primary
clinical risk management issue in 62 percent
of office-based claims. Changing clinicians'
patterns of practice and redesigning problematic
processes in the delivery of health care will
require an understanding of the roots of medical
error and the technology to improve it. CME
Online provides an opportunity for
clinicians to learn how to apply safe care strategies
in high-risk areas, while RMFinteractive
contains information and resources that health
centers can use to improve patient safety. Therefore,
HRSA is encouraging health centers to participate
in these useful, accessible educational programs
and multimedia resources that will help staff
members learn to deliver safer patient care
in a lower risk environment, thus improving
health care quality.
Application
and Registration Process: |
Health centers interested in participating in
this Initiative should complete a web-based
application by visiting http://www.rmfstrategies.com/hrsa_risk.
If
there are more interested registrants than available
subscription slots, the first preference will
be given to FTCA deemed health centers. HRSA
will also consider the following criteria in
order to enhance the diversity of pilot participants:
-
Geographic distribution;
- Diversity
of HRSA-supported health centers (i.e., Community
Health Centers, Migrant Health Centers, Health
Care for the Homeless Programs, and Public
Housing Primary Care Programs); and
- Fiscal
soundness.
Final
approval for health center participation in
the Initiative is at the discretion of HRSA.
Once
selected for the Initiative, a subscription
code will be distributed to each participating
health center. Using that subscriber code, health
centers will register on the appropriate site
and create an individual account. The subscriber
code is only required once, at the time of registration,
and allows participants to create a unique user
id and password. Once registered, subscribers
can log in as often as they like with the user
id and password they created during the registration
process. All user accounts will be valid from
August 1, 2005 through July 31, 2006.
- 06/30/05:
Health centers begin to submit web-based application
forms to RMFS
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07/15/05: RMFS begins work with HRSA to select
health center participants
- 07/21/05:
RMFS begins to contact selected health centers
- 08/01/05:
Initiative’s pilot period begins
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12/31/05: Deadline for health centers to submit
applications
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07/31/06: Initiative’s pilot period
ends
Health
Resources and Services Administration Contact:
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Questions
and comments pertaining to the Web-Based Clinical
Risk Management Resource Initiative for Health
Centers should be referred to:
Barbara
Bartman, MD, MPH, Medical Officer, at (301)
594-4475 or Bbartman@hrsa.gov.
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