The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) held its Annual Quality Conference April 8-10, 2024, in Baltimore, Maryland. SDAHO’s Director of Quality Integration, Becky Heisinger, attended this year’s event.
The theme was “Resilient and Ready Together: Creating an Optimal Environment for Quality Healthcare for Individuals, Families and Communities.” Heisinger says it was a great opportunity to connect with other quality professionals across the country. “I appreciated networking with other healthcare professionals as we explored opportunities for positive change in healthcare. We shared ideas on ways we are working with members in our own state and listened to other’s share innovative ways they are making a difference in the quality sector where they live.”
Attendees at this year’s conference were able to pick from eight unique tracks with each providing a diverse conversation on crucial topics such as:
- Advancing Health Equity
- Collecting and Using Quality Data
- Engaging Partners and Communities
- Expanding Access to Quality and Affordable Behavioral and Physical Healthcare
- Healthcare System Resiliency and Readiness
- High Reliability and Quality Improvement
- New Technology and Innovation
- Patient Safety
Industry experts presented at this year’s event, including leadership from some of our federal programs such as:
- Chiquita Brooks-LaSure Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- Tony Richards, MPH, PMD Pro Director, Office of Child Welfare, Center for Managed Care, Bureau for Medical Services, West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources
- Anita Monteiro Director, iQuality Improvement & Innovation Group, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- Andrea Palm Deputy Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services
- Susannah Bernheim, MD, MHS Chief Quality Officer & Acting Chief Medical Officer, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- Paige Mathew, PharmD, BCPS, BCGP Pain Management and Opioid Stewardship Clinical Pharmacy Program Manager, Department of Veterans Affairs
Heisinger says she was impressed with the quality of presenters at this year’s event. “I am grateful to have been able to attend the CMS 2024 Quality Conference. This event is an opportunity for SDAHO to learn and network with other quality leaders, but more importantly it’s about the information we bring back and how it can benefit our members. Much of what we learn and who we connect with, we share that with the quality community here at home, in hopes of assisting with their quality journey.”
To learn more about this year’s CMS 2024 Quality Conference, click here. If you have specific questions about this year’s event, email Becky.Heisinger@sdaho.org.
