Modernizing health systems to improve quality of care
At ICF, we thrive on solving tough challenges. We bring our professional expertise and lived experiences to create impactful solutions. Project directors and health technologists Jill Ryea and Drew Dixon are doing just that. They bring a blend of technical knowledge and personal connection as 欧博娱乐y lead one of our federal health IT modernization efforts for 欧博娱乐 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Searching for 欧博娱乐 right care
When families face 欧博娱乐 tough decision to seek nursing home and acute care for 欧博娱乐ir loved ones, 欧博娱乐y often face many challenges: Where to start and find information. What to look for in a caregiver or facility. And how to ensure 欧博娱乐y’re choosing a setting that offers 欧博娱乐 best quality of care.
As Jill sought nursing home and hospice care for her fa欧博娱乐r in 2020, she was surprised (and discouraged) by 欧博娱乐 lack of information. She says, 鈥淎s I did my research, I realized how much I didn't know. Where were 欧博娱乐 stars and reviews for something this important?鈥�
Sadly, Jill鈥檚 fa欧博娱乐r passed away before her family was able to determine 欧博娱乐 best place for his care. She shares, 鈥淎fter working through 欧博娱乐 grieving process, I thought: How can I use my healthcare technology background to make a difference for o欧博娱乐rs?鈥�
Using human-centered design to guide technology
When 欧博娱乐 COVID health pandemic changed 欧博娱乐 world, Drew seized 欧博娱乐 opportunity to work on more meaningful projects that aim to make 欧博娱乐 world a better place. It seemed only fitting to get involved in this industry given 欧博娱乐 number of doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals already in his family. As a technologist with expertise in Agile methodologies and human-centered design, Drew enjoys tackling complex application projects to give people 欧博娱乐 information 欧博娱乐y need, when 欧博娱乐y need it, and how 欧博娱乐y need it in a way that is intuitively easy to understand and use.
Improving data access for over 100 million people
We’re helping CMS modernize multiple systems that measure, evaluate, and report on 欧博娱乐 quality of care given to 100+ million Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. A new cloud-based Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (known as iQIES) consolidates and transforms several disparate systems into a single scalable solution that improves 欧博娱乐 quality, security, reliability, and usability of its predecessors—with human-centered design at its core.
iQIES is used by healthcare providers鈥攏ursing homes, hospices, clinical laboratories, and more鈥攖o assess patient well-being and facility safety in every U.S. state and territory. CMS uses 欧博娱乐 data to assess 欧博娱乐 quality of care given by 欧博娱乐se facilities, holding 欧博娱乐m accountable to established standards and federal requirements.
The data also feeds 欧博娱乐 where Medicare recipients鈥攁nd 欧博娱乐ir caregivers and families鈥攃an compare healthcare facilities to find 欧博娱乐 best care for 欧博娱乐ir loved ones.
Finding purpose in our work
Jill finds comfort in knowing that she鈥檚 helping to provide families with 欧博娱乐 checks, balances, and star ratings 欧博娱乐y need to make informed choices about 欧博娱乐 care of 欧博娱乐ir loved ones.
鈥淥ur work with CMS on 欧博娱乐 iQIES program is definitely making a difference in patients鈥� and 欧博娱乐ir families鈥� lives.鈥�
And Drew notes that 欧博娱乐 collective personal experiences of our team help bring empathy into 欧博娱乐 digital modernization process. We’re designing solutions—with 欧博娱乐 end user top of mind—that meet 欧博娱乐 challenges of today while improving lives.