Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/961245
150 CMO / CARE DELIVERY CMS to offer $30M in grants to develop new quality measures By Megan Knowles C MS will provide up to $30 million of funding and technical assistance to clinicians, patients and other stakeholders to support the development of quality measures over three years, Kate Goodrich, MD, CMS' CMO and director of the agency's Center for Clinical Standards and Quality, wrote in a March 2 statement. CMS aims to develop, improve, update and expand quality measures for use in the Quality Payment Program through the funding initiative. CMS will partner with external entities, including clinical specialty societies, clinical professional organizations, patient advocacy organizations, educational institutions, independent research organizations and health systems to improve these measures. The partnership aims to address issues in clinician engagement, provider burden, consumer-informed decisions, critical measure gaps, quality measure alignment and efficient data collection. "By giving external entities needed resources to help guide their measure-development efforts though [sic] this funding opportunity, CMS can leverage the unique perspectives and expertise of these external entities, such as clinician and patient perspectives, to advance the Quality Payment Program measure portfolio," Dr. Goodrich wrote. n U of Kentucky program trains Appalachian students for cancer careers By Leo Vartorella T he Career Training in Oncology Program at the Lexington-based University of Kentucky's Markey Cancer Center prepares students from the state's traditionally underserved Appalachian community for cancer-focused careers. Kentucky is first in the nation for overall cancer incidence and mortality, with the Appalachian region hit especially hard by the disease. The CTOP was founded in 2016 with a $200,000 grant from the National Cancer Institute. The two-year program provides students with educational, research and clinical opportunities. "This program is focused on some of Kentucky's greatest needs," said Nathan Vanderford, PhD, assistant professor in the UK College of Medicine and director of CTOP. "With this program, we're focused on providing enhanced cancer training to our students, so that they can move forward into other higher education programs and ultimately be prepared to go into cancer-focused careers to help address the cancer disparities in the region." Providing students with the opportunity to give back to their communities is one of the program's most prevalent themes. "I've always been interested in working with cancer and studying it," said Kristin O'Leary, a student in the program. "The research I'm doing is giving me so many opportunities, and then the program is helping me work with my community." n Nurse practitioner reportedly reused syringes on 161 patients at Minnesota clinic By Alia Paavola A nurse practitioner in a dermatology unit at St. Paul, Minn.-based Allina Health Bandana Square Clinic is accused of reusing syringes on 161 patients, reported the Pioneer Press. While the nurse practitioner never reused a needle, the nurse did reuse the syringes, sometimes multiple times. e nurse practitioner's behavior began in October 2017 and continued through February until other medical personnel at the clinic reported the problem, according to the report. Allina Health contacted the 161 patients involved to explain the incident and recommend HIV and hepatitis testing. Allina Health is offering the HIV and hepatitis tests free of charge, out of an abundance of caution. "While the risk of infection is very low, we understand that this is upsetting and concerning to these patients and families," Allina Health said in a prepared statement, according to the Pioneer Press. "We will learn from this incident and are taking action consistent with our commitment to patient safety." e nurse practitioner, who was not identified, has since been terminated. It is unclear why the nurse practitioner did not follow care protocol. n