Home Health Quality Initiative

The Home Health Quality Initiative (HHQI) is a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) quality initiative, implemented in 2002 with the goal of improving the quality of home health care. A key component of this program is the public reporting of quality outcome measures. In November 2003, home health quality measures were first posted to the CMS website under "Compare Home Health Agencies in Your Area." Consumers were encouraged to consult the outcomes when choosing a home health agency for themselves or others. Agencies can also view and compare their outcome results with their peer agencies.

From August 2005 through July 2008, the CFMC Home Health Team has provided Colorado Medicare-certified home health agencies with a wide range of quality improvement services to assist them with reducing avoidable acute care hospitalizations, improving assessment rates for influenza and pneumococcal immunizations, improving publicly reported outcome measures, and enhancing organizational culture. This work has vastly improved the quality of life of our frail elders and moved Colorado agencies closer to the goal of the right care for the right patient every time.

CMS is planning additional initiatives for quality improvement in the home health setting and is currently building the infrastructure for future home health work.

OBQI Links

The Colorado Foundation for Medical Care (CFMC), the Medicare quality improvement organization for Colorado, prepared this material under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The contents do not necessarily reflect CMS Policy.