05 Nov 2025
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October Workgroup Highlights Food FARMacy Program for Chronic Disease Management

October Workgroup Highlights Food FARMacy Program for Chronic Disease Management

November 5, 2025 | 0 Comments | , , , , ,

In October, MVC’s health in action workgroup featured Hurley Medical Center’s Amanda Escalera-Torres, RD, Director and Nutrition Specialist for their Food FARMacy program. The presentation shared how the program helps support patients with chronic diseases by providing healthy food and nutrition education. The MVC Coordinating Center hosts workgroup presentations twice per month, covering a variety of topics including post-discharge follow-up, sepsis, cardiac rehabilitation, rural health, preoperative testing, and health in action. 

Health in Action Workgroup: Hurley Medical Center 

Hurley Medical Center’s Food FARMacy initiative was founded in 2017 to address Genesee County’s higher food insecurity rate of 13% (compared to the state average of 11%). It was funded by several grants and the Hurley Foundation to provide support services such as grocery access and nutrition education for Hurley patients. According to a 2024 MVC member survey, programs such as this are becoming more common in health systems across the state to address non-medical drivers of health such as food insecurity, economic and housing instability, and other factors. Food insecurity and being unable to access nutritious food has been linked to an increased risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain types of cancer (Odoms-Young, 2024).  

Patient Eligibility and Enrollment 

Escalera-Torres shared that patients are eligible to enroll in the Hurley Food FARMacy program if they are both food-insecure and have a chronic diet-related condition (Figure 1). Patients are referred to the program through avenues such as Hurley Medical Center inpatient or outpatient services, community health clinics, or primary care clinics throughout Genesee County. Once enrolled, patients receive monthly grocery support, meal kits, and nutrition classes for up to six months (Figure 2). 

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

Food Distribution Process 

Each month, Hurley’s Food FARMacy program provides 300–400 patients with food access and education. Groceries are acquired through established contracts with local farmers and vendors and include locally sourced fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, meat, and more.  

Program and Participant Success 

Hurley Food FARMacy expanded their food resources by increasing their farmer and vendor contracts to 11 this past year. This provides more accessibility for food and helps boost the local Michigan economy. The program also established 12 referral partnerships across Genesee County’s community health centers and primary care providers, allowing the program to serve over 5,500 individuals in the last year. Among the population served, only 5% of those who completed six or more Food FARMacy visits in the last year had an inpatient admission (Figure 3).  

Figure 3.

Reducing Barriers 

Following the presentation, Escalera-Torres answered questions about the ways the program has been able to reduce barriers to access, including how food supply was managed during the off-season and how they accommodated patients with transportation limitations. Escalera-Torres explained that the program did experience some difficulty acquiring fresh produce during the off-season but recently partnered with Great Lakes Farm to Freezer to ensure availability of a robust selection of nutritious foods year-round. To address patient transportation barriers, Hurley Food FARMacy partnered with Door Dash earlier in the year for a trial run of delivering food to participants. The program was well received but ended due to lack of continued funding. Patients with transportation barriers are now able to assign a proxy to pick up their groceries, which has helped reduce accessibility barriers.  

The Food FARMacy program will continue to adapt and serve Genesee County patients providing quality food and improving nutritional awareness for chronic diet-related illnesses.  

MVC's cardiac rehabilitation workgroup for October was rescheduled for February 2026. View the complete 2026 workgroup calendar here. 

MVC welcomes workgroup presenters from across Michigan to share their expertise, success stories, initiatives, and solution-focused ideas with MVC members. Please reach out to us by email if you are interested in being a workgroup presenter or submit a presentation proposal here. 

22 Oct 2025
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Hospitals Receive PY25 Mid-Year Scorecards for MVC Component of BCBSM P4P Program

Hospitals Receive PY25 Mid-Year Scorecards for MVC Component of BCBSM P4P Program

October 22, 2025 | 0 Comments | , , , , ,

Last month the Michigan Value Collaborative (MVC) distributed mid-year scorecards for Program Year (PY) 2025 of the MVC Component of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) Pay-for-Performance (P4P) Program. This report provided hospitals with their current standing for PY 2025. It also included a preview of measure scoring for the new health outcome variation measure that will be worth one point in PYs 2026-2027.

Each hospital received a mid-year score out of a total of 10 points, including 0 to 4 points for their selected total episode payment metric, 0 to 4 points for their selected value metric, and 0 to 2 points for completed eligible engagement activities. PY 2025 scores achievement and improvement points for each hospital’s selected episode spending conditions and value metrics using index admissions from 2024 performance year data against admissions in 2022 as the baseline year. Hospitals are awarded the higher of their achievement and improvement point scores.

The performance data timeframes included in mid-year PY 2025 scoring were index events 1/1/2024 – 12/31/2024 for BCBSM PPO Commercial, BCBSM Medicare Advantage (MA), BCN HMO Commercial, BCN HMO MA, and index events from 1/1/2024 – 6/30/2024 for Medicare FFS. The engagement points accrued represent all completed activities from 1/1/2025 – 7/31/2025. All scores are subject to change in the final scorecards as the remaining 2024 performance data becomes available and additional 2025 P4P engagement activities are completed and recorded for this year.

Figure 1 illustrates the current distribution of total points out of 10 across the collaborative. The average points scored across the mid-year scorecards was 6.3 out of 10. This average is 0.3 points lower than the average points scored at the conclusion of PY 2024.

Figure 1.

Figure 2 illustrates the breakdown of scoring on average by each program component (i.e., episode spending metric, value metric, engagement points). Hospitals could earn up to four points for their episode spending and value metric selections, and up to two points for engagement activities completed in 2025. Across the collaborative, the average points scored for both episode spending and value metrics was 2.6 points, and 1.2 points for engagement activities.

Figure 2.

Figure 3 illustrates the breakdown of the average points by episode spending conditions. Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) was the highest scoring episode spending condition with an average of 3 points, and this was closely followed by joint replacement with 2.7 points. The lowest scoring episode spending condition was pneumonia with hospitals earning less than 2 points on average.

Figure 3.

Figure 4 illustrates the breakdown of average points by value metrics. Consistent with PY 2024, the highest scoring value metric was preoperative testing with 3.9 points followed by 30-day inpatient readmissions after sepsis with 3.2 points. The lowest scoring value metric was 7-day follow up after pneumonia and follows the same trend as that of PY 2024 with 1.8 points.

Figure 4.

This is the second year of a two-year (PY 24-25) P4P cycle. The full methodology for this program cycle can be found in the PY2024-2025 technical document.

In addition to the PY 2025 mid-year scorecard summary, this report also included a preview of the new health outcome variation measure scoring, which will be worth one point in PY 2026-2027 (Figure 5). The table presents the hospital’s payer-specific risk-adjusted readmission rates in the performance year, the baseline and performance indexes for the hospital, and the target indexes required to score a point via improvement or achievement. This table’s scoring is based on PY 2025 data (i.e., 2024 performance year data and 2022 baseline data). Please note that this table was included to help orient members to the scoring methodology for this new measure and does not impact PY 2025 scores. For detailed information about this measure, please refer to this introductory video and PY 2026-2027 P4P technical document.

Figure 5.

These PY 2025 P4P mid-year scores are subject to change as new data is added. The final scores will be distributed after all 2024 claims are incorporated into the calculations. Hospitals can track their score via the P4P PY 2024-2025 dashboard reports on the MVC registry, which provides all relevant scoring information for both improvement and achievement points. These registry reports can be filtered by selected conditions/metrics to make tracking of P4P points easier. You can also contact the MVC Coordinating Center [EMAIL] for a walkthrough of your hospital’s PY 2025 mid-year scorecard or P4P registry reports.

01 Oct 2025
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MVC Publishes its 2025 QECP Annual Report as a Qualified Entity

MVC Publishes its 2025 QECP Annual Report as a Qualified Entity

October 1, 2025 | 0 Comments | , ,

Recently, the MVC Coordinating Center published its annual Qualified Entity Certification Program (QECP) public report for 2025. This report [PDF] was published on the QECP section on MVC’s Data/Registry webpage and is an annual requirement for MVC as a qualified entity with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This was MVC’s fourth public QECP report, which continued to provide unidentified aggregated data about Michigan hospital performance on two measures: rates of 30-day rehospitalizations following start of home health care, and rates of outpatient follow-up received after hospitalization for congestive heart failure (CHF) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

All measures in the report were created using data from MVC claims-based episodes of care initialized by inpatient hospitalizations or surgeries between Jan. 1, 2018, and Dec. 31, 2023. Claims were incorporated from all MVC payer sources, including Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS), Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM), Blue Care Network (BCN), and Michigan Medicaid.

The reported overall risk-adjusted rate of 30-day unplanned rehospitalization after the start of post-acute home health care among episodes beginning at MVC hospitals in Michigan was 11.8% for 2018-2023. Risk-adjusted rates by index hospital ranged from 4.7% to 16.5% (Figure 1). By home health provider, risk-adjusted rates ranged from 1.8% to 23.8%. Patients whose episode of care began with an index event for endocarditis, CHF, or COPD were more likely than patients with other index conditions to experience an unplanned rehospitalization in the 30 days after they started home health care, with rehospitalization rates of 21%, 20%, and 20%, respectively (Figure 2). Patients with a joint replacement episode of care were least likely to have an unplanned rehospitalization following the start of home health care (3% rehospitalization rate).

Figure 1. Risk-Adjusted Rates of 30-Day Unplanned Rehospitalization from Home Health, by MVC Hospital

Dot graph of Risk-Adjusted Rates of 30-Day Unplanned Rehospitalization from Home Health, by MVC Hospital

Figure 2. Unadjusted Rates of 30-Day Unplanned Rehospitalization from Home Health, by Condition

Vertical bar chart of Unadjusted Rates of 30-Day Unplanned Rehospitalization from Home Health, by Condition

Results for the outpatient follow-up metrics remained similar to findings from previous annual reports. Across episodes of care for index events in 2018-2023 at the 106 MVC hospitals in Michigan, the unadjusted rate of patients receiving outpatient follow-up within 7 days after hospitalization for CHF was 44% (Figure 3). Following index hospitalizations for COPD, 36% of patients received outpatient follow-up within 7 days (Figure 4). For both conditions, there was wide variation across hospitals in Michigan in their 7-day follow-up rates after hospitalization, with rates ranging between less than 10% to over 60%. MVC also calculated follow-up rates after CHF and COPD hospitalizations using 3-day, 14-day, and 30-day follow-up windows, with those rate and hospital-level rate distributions summarized in the full report. Rates of follow-up were steady over time.

Figure 3. 7-Day Follow-Up After CHF Hospitalization by MVC Hospital

Dot graph of 7-Day Follow-Up After CHF Hospitalization by MVC Hospital
Dot graph of 7-Day Follow-Up After COPD Hospitalization by MVC Hospital

For more information and the entire set of findings we invite you to read the full 2025 report, available here.

QE certification status allows MVC to provide hospital members with additional data from Medicare FFS claims at a level of granularity not otherwise available under standard CMS data use agreements. Reports located under the “QE Medicare” icon on the MVC registry allow hospital registry users to see unsuppressed Medicare data including case counts <11 as well as utilization rates and average payments based on case counts <11. In addition, on any QE Medicare registry report, members can click on specific data points to load a list of all episodes underlying that data point. From that episode list it is possible to view drilldown information on individual episodes to learn more about the claims and price-standardized payments comprising that episode.

Members may contact the MVC Coordinating Center by email to learn more about data available through MVC’s QECP reports and to receive the forms necessary to gain access on the registry.

13 Aug 2025
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MVC’s Updated Common Conditions Report Now Available to Hospital Members

MVC’s Updated Common Conditions Report Now Available to Hospital Members

August 13, 2025 | 0 Comments | , , ,

Last week, the Coordinating Center distributed a refreshed version of MVC’s common conditions report. This report delivers a comprehensive analysis of care episodes for eight prevalent medical and surgical conditions frequently targeted for quality improvement initiatives within MVC hospitals. It assesses hospital performance and highlights potential areas for growth. The report’s current conditions include atrial fibrillation (A-Fib), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), colectomy (non-cancer), congestive heart failure (CHF), coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), pneumonia, and sepsis. Notably, total knee and hip (joint) replacement, which was previously included, has been replaced by A-Fib in the latest report.

MVC generated reports for 96 eligible hospitals. General acute care hospital (GACH) and Critical Access Hospital (CAH) members received tailored versions of the report, which included benchmark data specific to their respective hospital categories and tailored comparison groups. A blinded version of the general acute care hospital report is available here.

Although the provided metrics and figures vary by condition and case count, report pages generally focus on 30-day total episode payments, post-acute care and post-discharge ED utilization, readmission rates, and common reasons for readmissions. The report has been updated to feature data covering the period of January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2024, for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM)/Blue Care Network (BCN) Commercial, BCBSM/BCN Medicare Advantage (MA), and Michigan Medicaid; Medicare FFS data covers the period of January 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024.

Upon opening the latest report, MVC members will first find a summary of patient population demographic data for each condition/procedure category their hospital was eligible to receive, facilitating a comprehensive and effective comparison across service lines for a variety of non-medical drivers of health.

On subsequent condition or procedure pages, most hospitals will have a figure displaying the breakdown of 30-day risk-adjusted, price-standardized post-acute care payments by payer categories (see Figure 1). The categories available included BCBSM/BCN Commercial, BCBSM/BCN Medicare Advantage, Medicare Only, Medicaid Only, and Dual Eligible; hospitals received data points for those payer categories with at least 11 episodes during the reporting period. As a reminder, the “Dual-Eligible” category represents patients eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid coverage, and the separate Medicare and Medicaid categories do not include those patients when the separate Dual-Eligible category is included.

Figure 1.

Bar graph of breakdown by payor of 30-day risk adjusted, price standardized, total post-acute care payments among patients hospitalized for COPD at a hospital

**Information is presented only for those payer categories that have at least 11 episodes during reporting period. Missing data labels represent less than 9% of the total.

Beyond offering insights into payments by payer and post-acute care categories, this figure can offer additional insights and context compared to the report figure that follows it for post-acute care utilization rates (see Figure 2). The two figures together serve to provide a clearer understanding of the relationship between rates of utilization and percent of episode spending for each post-acute care category, illustrating whether spending aligns with utilization frequency. The post-acute care categories for both figures includes home health care, skilled nursing facility (SNF) care, inpatient rehab, outpatient rehab, emergency department care, long-term acute care hospitals (LTACH) and outpatient services.

Figure 2.

Dot matrix of 30-day post acute care utilization among patients hospitalized for COPD

The remaining figures focus largely on ED utilization and readmissions, with some service line pages including figures for common reasons for readmission. Readmissions were generally observed to be highest across the collaborative at about 20% for patients hospitalized for CHF, followed by patients hospitalized for sepsis or COPD. Readmission rates were lowest across the collaborative at about 6% among patients who underwent a PCI procedure. There is also a visible decrease over time in 30-day readmission rates across the collaborative for all eight common conditions (see Figures 3 and 4); however, it is important to note that the 2024 Q3-Q4 data point does not include Medicare FFS patients, which is likely impacting the rate for that time interval.

Figure 3: 30-Day Readmission Rate Among Patients Hospitalized for Atrial Fibrillation, COPD, Colectomy, and CHF*

Graph of 30-Day Readmission Rate Among Patients Hospitalized for Atrial Fibrillation, COPD, Colectomy, and CHF*

Figure 4: 30-Day Readmission Rate Among Patients Hospitalized for CABG, PCI, Pneumonia, and Sepsis*

Graph of 30-Day Readmission Rate Among Patients Hospitalized for CABG, PCI, Pneumonia, and Sepsis*

*Data points are only shown for six-month intervals with 11 or more episodes. Data from 2024 Q3-Q4 excludes Medicare episodes.

MVC is dedicated to regularly updating its commons conditions report, aiming to equip collaborative partners with insightful data that can drive and reinforce meaningful advancements in healthcare quality. We hope these reports prove beneficial and welcome MVC members to contact MVC with any questions or analytic requests.

30 Jul 2025
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MVC Thanks Presenters from the First Half of 2025

MVC Thanks Presenters from the First Half of 2025

July 30, 2025 | 0 Comments | , ,

The MVC Coordinating Center wishes to express our deep appreciation for the thirty-four dedicated professionals who stepped forward to present at MVC’s first and second quarter 2025 virtual workgroups and spring collaborative-wide meeting. We know that members have many demands on their time, competing priorities, and requests from other Collaborative Quality Initiatives (CQIs) and professional organizations to present. By sharing their current data, innovative approaches to persistent challenges, best practices, and lessons learned with MVC members, these 34 presenters made important contributions to our shared goals to improve both access to and the quality of healthcare for all Michigan patients. We celebrate you for contributing in this high-value way. You DO make a difference!

Join the MVC Coordinating Center in giving these folks a well-deserved round of applause!

Cardiac Rehab Workgroup

  • Steven Keteyian, PhD, Director of Cardiac Rehabilitation & Preventive Cardiology, Henry Ford Health
  • Greg Scharf, BS, ACSM-CEP, AACVPR-CCRP, Cardiopulmonary Rehab System Manager, MyMichigan Health

Preoperative Testing Workgroup

  • Jennifer Bennett, MBA, BSN, RN, Lead Quality and Patient Safety Coordinator, Henry Ford Health

Sepsis Workgroup

  • Diane Barton, MSN/MHA, RN, CPHQ, CPPS, Director of Organizational/Clinical Quality, Munson Medical Center
  • Alex Callaway, MBA, CPHQ, CPPS, Director of Quality and Patient Safety, Munson Health System
  • Jennifer Bentley, RN, BSN, Nursing Quality Coordinator, Munson Health System
  • Stephanie Bowen, RN, BSN, Nursing Quality Coordinator, Munson Health System
  • Amy Lorenz, RN, BAS, MPA, Lead QI Specialist II Patient Safety & Quality Department, Covenant Healthcare

Post-Discharge Follow-Up Workgroup

  • Zachary Chapman, MHA, Executive Director, Oaklawn Medical Group
  • Morgan Albright, BSN-RN, Director Case/Care Management Population Health, Oaklawn Hospital

Rural Health Workgroup

  • Mary Wozniak, MPH, CHES, Program Manager, Health Systems Interventions, National Kidney Foundation
  • Jill Oesterle, Director of Provider Solutions, Michigan Center for Rural Health, Michigan State University

Health in Action Workgroup

  • Mary Nowlin, PA-C, Physician Assistant, Michigan Medicine
  • Niki Farquhar, MSE, Project Management Lead for Delays in Care Progression Project Workstream, Michigan Medicine
  • Heidi O’Neill, MS, Project Manager Lead for Continuous Improvement Division of Quality, Michigan Medicine
  • Amanda Biskner, RN, Paramedic, CP-C, Community Paramedicine Coordinator, Tri-Hospital EMS, CP/MIH & File of L.I.F.E. Program

MVC’s spring collaborative-wide meeting:

Roundtables

  • Vani Patterson, MPH, FNAP, Administrative Director, Michigan Center for Interprofessional Education, Michigan Medicine
  • Chloe Miwa, MPH, Administrative Fellow, Michigan Medicine
  • Cyndie Bates, Administrative Services for Access & Referral Management and Mobile Health Clinic, University of Michigan Health-Sparrow
  • Whitney Soule, BSN, Nursing Quality Coordinator, Munson Healthcare Cadillac Hospital
  • Keli K. DeVries, LMSW, Program Manager, MOQC
  • Natalia Simon, MBA, MA, Senior Project Manager, MOQC
  • Ashley Bowen, MS, RDN, CHC, Clinical Nutrition Services Manager, Michigan Medicine
  • Amanda Saint Martin, Hospital Programs Manager, Michigan Center for Rural Health
  • Larrea Young, MDes, Multimedia Design Project Manager, Human-Centered Design Project Manager, HBOM, MCT2D
  • Danielle Fergin, LMSW-C, Manager of Integrated Behavioral Health, MyMichigan Medical Group

Poster Session

  • Leslie Johnson, RN, Clinical Quality Improvement Lead, MIMiND
  • Larrea Young, MDes, Multimedia Design Project Manager, Human-Centered Design Project Manager, HBOM, MCT2D
  • Jennifer Bennett, MBA, BSN, RN, Lead Patient and Safety Coordinator, Ascension Macomb-Oakland, River District, and St. John Hospitals
  • Dawn Johnson, BSN, RN, CCM-R, VP, ACO Performance and Growth, Commonwealth Care Alliance
  • Catie Guarnaccia, MSN, RN, CPEN, Quality Initiatives and Operations Specialist, MEDIC
  • Sam Kesterson, LMSW, Project Coordinator, MEDIC
  • Emma Steppe, MPH, Project Manager, MSHIELD
  • Bradley Lott, PhD, MPH, MS, Content Expert, Health Informatics and Social Care Integration, MSHIELD
  • Keli DeVries, LMSW, Program Manager, MOQC
  • Natalia Simon, MBA, MA, Senior Project Manager, MOQC
Image of thank you note in the palms of two hands

Attendees of workgroups and MVC’s spring collaborative-wide meeting appreciate presenters, too! Here are just a few of the many glowing survey responses MVC has received about presenters and their content in 2025.

Attendee testimonials graphic

As a reminder, past workgroups and virtual networking event recordings can be viewed on MVC’s YouTube channel, and presentation slides and materials from MVC’s spring 2025 collaborative-wide meeting can be viewed here.

Do you have valuable information to share?

Whether you are new to presenting or a seasoned pro, MVC’s Engagement team is here to support you every step of the way. From exploring topic ideas, to preparing information, to managing event logistics, our team makes the experience of presenting easy and comfortable. The P4P points you can earn as a presenter are a great benefit to your organization, too! For more information about presenting, contact the MVC’s Engagement team.

23 Jul 2025
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MVC Welcomes Manager of Data Analytics Ian Raxter, MPH

MVC Welcomes Manager of Data Analytics Ian Raxter, MPH

July 23, 2025 | 0 Comments | , ,

I am excited to be joining the Michigan Value Collaborative (MVC) team as Manager of Data Analytics! I look forward to working more closely with this great team to improve the quality of care across the state of Michigan.

Since receiving my Master of Public Health in general epidemiology from the University of Michigan in 2012, I have spent my career in the healthcare data world, working in particular with claims data and the CQIs. After graduate school I worked at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan in the Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, working with Value Partnerships to support the Physician Group Incentive Program. After five years there I joined ArborMetrix where I worked as a Data Scientist with several of the CQIs, specifically the Michigan Emergency Department Improvement Collaborative (MEDIC), Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative (MSQC), Obstetrics Initiative (OBI), and MVC. Following ArborMetrix, I joined Mathematica Policy Research where I worked on a variety of healthcare research projects for federal, state, and other clients.

It was always a pleasure to work with the MVC team during my time at ArborMetrix, and I’m happy to now join the other side of the table to help lead MVC’s analytic team! Please feel free to connect with me at iraxter@med.umich.edu.

14 May 2025
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MVC 2025 Spring Collaborative-Wide Meeting Summary

MVC 2025 Spring Collaborative-Wide Meeting Summary

May 14, 2025 | 0 Comments | , , , ,

Collaboration in Action: Shaping the Future of Healthcare Across Michigan

The Michigan Value Collaborative (MVC) held its spring 2025 collaborative-wide meeting on Friday, May 9, in Midland. A total of 106 attendees representing 62 hospitals, 6 physician organizations, 6 Collaborative Quality Initiatives (CQIs), and 11 healthcare systems from across the state of Michigan came together to build partnerships and collaborate on approaches to healthcare delivery that will have a long-lasting impact.

MVC Director Dr. Hari Nathan kicked off Friday’s meeting with updates on the MVC Coordinating Center [. He introduced MVC’s newest team members, senior analysts Steven Ellinger and Tanima Basu, and Program Assistant Dinah Pollard. Dr. Nathan also announced the promotion of Jana Stewart to Associate Program Manager and welcomed Dr. Jessica Golbus as the new Co-Director of the Michigan Cardiac Rehab network (MiCR). He provided an update on recruitment progress for Phase II of the RITE-Size pilot and encouraged sites interested in participating to reach out to the MVC Coordinating Center. Dr. Nathan concluded the welcome presentation by highlighting MVC reporting updates. These included new multi-payer preoperative testing dashboard reports added to MVC’s data registry in Q4 of 2024, and five hospital-level push reports with data reflecting P4P Program Year (PY) 2026-2027 selections, statewide health equity, process measures, P4P PY 2024 final scorecards, and ED-based episodes.

Managing Director Mark Bradshaw, MSc, presented a summary of PY 2024 scoring and PY 2026-2027 selections for the MVC Component of the BCBSM P4P Program [SEE SLIDES]. In his summary of PY 2024 scoring, Bradshaw highlighted opportunities for members to leverage MVC resources to optimize P4P scores via MVC’s engagement point menu options and highlighted some of the value metrics that have seen success after their first year of scoring.

The overview of MVC members’ P4P selections included a comparison of the value metric selections that were made for the PY 2024-2025 vs. the PY 2026-2027 program cycles (Figure 1). Bradshaw also reviewed MVC’s new health equity measure and index of disparity before closing with a reminder about upcoming dates relevant to participating P4P hospitals (Figure 2).

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

The meeting then featured MVC’s first Engagement Awards, presented by MVC Engagement Manager Jessica Souva, MSN, RN, C-ONQS. MVC presented the awards to members who went above and beyond in their engagement with MVC to the benefit of the entire MVC membership. Scheurer Health received the award for the most engaged peer group 5 hospital, MyMichigan Collaborative Care organization for the most engaged physician organization (PO), Chelsea Hospital for the most engaged hospital, and Corewell Health for the most engaged health system.

Souva remained at the podium for a presentation on MVC’s 2024 Quality Improvement (QI) survey, sharing details about the survey’s purpose, completion rate, results, and applications [SEE SLIDES]. The four most widely reported QI initiatives included sepsis, health outcome variation, readmissions, and emergency department care, and also aligned with the initiatives reported as highest priority for some of the largest health systems in Michigan (Figure 3). Souva provided specific examples of MVC engagement activities that were developed to specifically support the initiatives reported in the QI survey and address common barriers members reported facing. She urged MVC’s PO members to participate in the 2025 QI survey so that MVC will be better equipped to provide support for PO QI initiatives in the future.

Figure 3.

Before sending meeting attendees to participate in the poster session, Souva shared the responses from the opening virtual ice-breaker question: “What keeps you motivated to continue working in healthcare?” Members credited their teams and making a difference in the lives of patients and families as their motivation to persevere during challenging times. Posters were then presented by partner CQIs such as MEDIC, MOQC, MSHIELD, and MI Mind. Electronic copies of the posters are available on the spring meeting website [LINK]. The MVC Coordinating Center would like to thank all poster presenters for sharing their work.

After the poster session, MVC Associate Program Manager Jana Stewart, MPH, provided a presentation highlighting the ways in which MVC collaboratives with other CQIs to help drive local quality improvement efforts in hospitals across Michigan. This included two case studies and unblinded data presentations for MVC’s two value-based initiatives: cardiac rehabilitation utilization and preoperative testing de-implementation. She also presented a use case for a new area MVC is exploring within its ED-based episodes of care focused on behavioral health care and outcomes, also with aggregate and hospital-level unblinded data.

Since the launch of MVC's cardiac rehabilitation initiative in 2020, the work has been incorporated into all aspects of MVC’s portfolio, from dedicated workgroup topics to reporting and related P4P metrics, and it also led to the 2022 launch of MiCR in partnership with BMC2 and the NewBeat program in partnership with HBOM. Cardiac rehabilitation enrollment for patients discharged from a “Main 5” condition (e.g., AMI, CABG, PCI, SAVR, and TAVR), has increased across the collaborative from 24% in 2020 to 34% in 2023, amounting to an estimated 145 lives saved and 243 readmissions avoided. Stewart also shared that the mean days to a patient’s first cardiac rehabilitation visit has decreased from 59 days in 2020 to 46 days in 2024.

Highlights from MVC’s preoperative testing efforts included updates on the RITE-Size pilot—a collaboration largely between MVC, MPrOVE, and MSQC—that supported three MVC member hospitals in reducing their low-value preoperative testing rates in 2024 through a variety of strategies. Stewart called out that members interested in participating in Phase II of the pilot in 2025 or 2026 will be well positioned to both reduce their testing rates significantly and also achieve the full two engagement points for 2025. She encouraged anyone interested to reach out to the MVC Coordinating Center for additional information.

Stewart concluded by sharing aggregate and unblinded data on the prevalence of behavioral health as a co-diagnosis in MVC ED-based episodes, where behavioral health ICD-10 codes such as anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, and dementia appear as co-diagnoses (Figure 4) in approximately 13% of index ED events. She also shared how those behavioral health rates differ by payer as well as condition and noted that 1 in 3 of ED patients who have a resulting inpatient admission have a behavioral health code noted as a comorbidity.

Figure 4.

After a networking lunch, attendees spent the afternoon participating in roundtable discussions and small group activities on two to three topics [SEE ROUNDTABLE MATERIALS]. During the session, attendees could either join three roundtable discussions or join one roundtable and one small group activity on system approaches to QI. At each table attendees learned about the work of the roundtable facilitator, asked questions, and discussed similar initiatives at their own organizations. In the system activity, MVC members were asked a series of questions about measuring system-level QI, and their responses will help inform MVC’s future work to support health systems across Michigan.

The meeting closed with a reflection of the day spent together, reminders about upcoming meetings, and opportunities for best practice sharing with other MVC members.

If you have questions about any of the topics discussed at MVC’s spring collaborative-wide meeting or are interested in following up for more details, contact the MVC Coordinating Center. MVC’s next collaborative-wide meeting will be in person on Fri., Oct. 10, 2025, in Livonia.

 

23 Apr 2025
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MVC Announces Agenda, Speakers for Spring Collaborative-Wide Meeting

MVC Announces Agenda, Speakers for Spring Collaborative-Wide Meeting

April 23, 2025 | 0 Comments | , , ,

The MVC Coordinating Center is excited to announce the agenda for its spring collaborative-wide meeting on Fri., May 9, 2025, from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., at the H Hotel in Midland, MI. This meeting’s theme of “collaboration in action” reflects a focus on partnerships, collaborating to overcome barriers, and leveraging data to shape improvement projects. Those interested in attending MVC's spring collaborative-wide meeting can learn more and register here.

MVC Director Hari Nathan, MD, PhD, and Managing Director Mark Bradshaw, MSc, will kick off the day with Coordinating Center updates as well as announcements about the MVC Component of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) Pay-for-Performance (P4P) Program. This will be followed by a new engagement awards ceremony and a presentation about statewide trends in quality improvement efforts, both presented by MVC Engagement Manager Jessica Souva, MSN, RN, C-ONQS.

The meeting includes a mid-morning poster session with 11 presenters highlighting success stories and research across the broader CQI portfolio. This is one of several opportunities to network with peers.

MVC Associate Program Manager Jana Stewart, MS, MPH, will present on recent MVC partnerships with other CQIs that drove site-level quality improvement initiatives. In addition to providing updates on these partnerships and their respective progress, Stewart will also share new priorities related to cardiac rehabilitation, preoperative testing, and ED-based episodes of care. This presentation will include unblinded data on key measures for all three topics, including new data on mental health comorbidities among patients treated in the emergency department. Attendees will be able to benchmark their site’s performance on a variety of metrics and come away with ideas for site-level interventions to implement.

After lunch and open networking, the afternoon features 10 concurrent interactive roundtables covering a wide variety of topics. From collaboration across academic and system units, behavioral health, and data reporting topics to a variety of patient-centered initiatives and more, the roundtables offer something for everyone. Attendees will join between two and three 15-minute discussions as they rotate to different roundtable speaker presentations. One of these options includes a longer 30-minute fireside chat with Hari Nathan, MD, PhD, on system-level approaches to quality improvement.

New this year is an innovation station that will be available throughout the day. It will feature a variety of stations where attendees can interact, leave suggestions, and connect with peers. The day will conclude with closing remarks and next steps with Jana Stewart, MS, MPH.

The deadline to register for MVC’s spring collaborative-wide meeting is April 28. We look forward to seeing you there!

 

26 Mar 2025
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Overcoming Non-Medical Drivers of Health: A Success Story at Marshfield Medical Center-Dickinson

Overcoming Non-Medical Drivers of Health: A Success Story at Marshfield Medical Center-Dickinson

March 26, 2025 | 0 Comments | ,

In recent years, the pursuit of high-quality healthcare has pushed an increasing number of organizations to consider how tailored approaches can reduce variation in health outcomes, increase the value of care, and enhance patient experiences with the healthcare system. Reflecting this growing recognition, the Michigan Value Collaborative (MVC) surveyed its members in 2024 to better understand how members were identifying gaps in care and responding to non-medical drivers of health. With questions focused on data collection, strategic planning, and programming, MVC gleaned a wealth of impactful and innovative solutions already under way in hospitals across the state.

For the majority of the surveyed hospitals, the most common focus areas for programming were enhancing provider availabilitiy (i.e., telehealth, mobile units, and nontraditional clinic hours), improving access to reliable transportation, offering financial support, and providing translated materials. Although it is common for hospitals to have strategies in place in these areas, the specific approaches are often as varied as the communities they serve.

At Marshfield Medical Center-Dickinson, for example, one way they approach gaps in preventative care within the community is through dental care programming. Recent studies have established a clear link between oral health and overall health, underscoring the importance of proper dental hygiene as a preventive measure against serious health complications. According to the Mayo Clinic, poor oral health can lead to significant conditions such as endocarditis, cardiovascular disease, pregnancy complications, and pneumonia. Consequently, effective dental hygiene education and preventive care can provide substantial health benefits that extend well beyond oral health alone.

Recognizing the multifaceted benefits of accessible oral healthcare, Marshfield has partnered with Smiles on Wheels to offer monthly dental services—including cleanings, sealants, and fluoride treatments—at their primary care clinic, regardless of insurance. This initiative has been especially beneficial for young children and parents who face financial challenges related to transportation, and helps Marshfield to more effectively ensure high-value care for all patients. It also helps families avoid future costs associated with more complex treatments that may result from a lack of preventive care. The program has received positive feedback from the patient population, with many community members expressing their gratitude for the support it provides.

Figure 1. Smiles on Wheels provides dental care services to Marshfield Medical Center-Dickinson patients during wellness care visits.

Photo courtesy of Marshfield Medical Center-Dickinson

Dr. Alexis Cirilli Whaley, MMC-D Pediatrician said, “We are fortunate to have Smiles on Wheels offering dental care to our local children, particularly for those families needing additional support due to economic stressors. The initiative allows for increased access to dental treatment, conveniently scheduled during wellness care visits."

By partnering with Smiles on Wheels, Marshfield Medical Center-Dickinson is leveraging existing resources to create a meaningful impact. This collaboration optimizes the use of available assets and showcases an effective strategy that harnesses the strengths of community partners. Stories like that of Marshfield Medical Center-Dickinson highlight the power of community partnerships in bridging known gaps in care and making a significant difference.

If your hospital or organization has an initiative they would like to share, please contact the Coordinating Center at Michigan-Value-Collaborative@med.umich.edu – we would love to hear from you.

12 Mar 2025
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MVC Welcomes Its Newest Senior Analyst, Steven Ellinger

MVC Welcomes Its Newest Senior Analyst, Steven Ellinger

March 12, 2025 | 0 Comments | , ,

I’m ecstatic to join the MVC team as a senior analyst and bring my passion for healthcare analytics to the table! I am joining the team with over a decade of experience in healthcare analytics, pricing adjudication, reimbursement analysis, and provider network management. I’ve spearheaded projects to optimize network-level claims reporting and streamline data processes in every role. My background in economics and finance from Western Michigan University has helped me develop a strong analytical mindset, which I’ve applied in roles at Michigan Medicine-Sparrow, IBM Watson Health, McLaren Health Plan, and beyond. Healthcare large data manipulation is a passion of mine and you’ll see me smile each time a question is asked, as I am eager to find the answer.

Prior to joining the MVC team, I enjoyed five years as a pricing analyst at University of Michigan Health Plan (formerly Physicians Health Plan). I was responsible for establishing and maintaining provider fee schedules, ensuring competitive and compliant compensation across a vast provider and facility network. My expertise in SQL, Microsoft Excel, claims processing, and financial reporting have been instrumental in automating adjudication processes and enhancing financial forecasting. I also worked closely with provider relations, contract negotiations, and system configuration, making data-driven decisions to enhance efficiency.

Outside of work, my two kids under five keep me very busy with not a lot of free time. When I do find that time, I love staying active—backpacking, running marathons, and formerly teaching swing dancing. You will find me every year at the Indycar Detroit Grand Prix, at the paddock, pit line, or at the box suites, wishing the race was back at Belle Isle. I am thrilled to be on board and look forward to working with MVC’s members to make an impact on healthcare.