The commonwealth is the first state in which every hospital has earned the Joint Commission’s Excellent Health Outcomes for All certification

Massachusetts is the first state in which every acute care hospital has achieved the Joint Commission’s Excellent Health Outcomes for All certification, an advanced program recognizing hospitals’ rigorous commitment to improving care access and closing longstanding disparities across patient populations.

This accomplishment is one part of Massachusetts hospitals’ broader, nation-leading effort to improve patient health outcomes through its Health Quality and Equity Incentive Program (HQEIP), a component of the state’s 1115 Medicaid Waiver from 2023 through 2027. The HQEIP is the first program of its kind, in which acute care hospitals earn funding by meeting specific performance targets for reducing disparities in care, including standardizing data collection, expanding language access and disability competent care, and implementing performance improvement projects aimed at addressing gaps in behavioral and maternal health.

“Over these past three years, Massachusetts hospitals have taken significant steps to address health access and improve health outcomes for all patients across the commonwealth,” said MHA’s Director of Health Equity Walae Hayek. “Our hospital community is proud that this important and extensive work is serving as a national exemplar, and we look forward to building upon this progress in the years ahead.”

“Our goal in Massachusetts is to create equitable health outcomes for people, regardless of their zip code, language, or ability to pay,” said Secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services Kiame Mahaniah. “I applaud our hospitals’ efforts to collaborate and build more equitable health systems that will close the gap for communities experiencing higher rates of chronic illness and health complications. This work will have a long-lasting impact that will continue to benefit patients in Massachusetts for years to come.”

EXCELLENT HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR ALL

The Excellent Health Outcomes for All certification emphasizes key pillars that drive improvements in patient health outcomes:

• Organizational leadership and commitment to closing disparities;
• Collaboration with patients, families, and community partners;
• Standardized data collection;
• Provision of care focused on meeting patient needs; and
• Continuous quality improvement.

The certification requires a comprehensive evaluation of the policies, processes, and protocols healthcare organizations are implementing to achieve “optimal care, treatment, and service delivery” to all patients.  Over the past two years, the Joint Commission assessed all Massachusetts acute care hospitals and determined they met the required criteria across all five domains.

“At South Shore Health, equity and safety are foundational to how we care for our community,” said Carol Keohane, SVP, Chief Quality and Safety Officer, South Shore Health,the first system in Massachusetts to earn the certification. “The Excellent Health Outcomes for All certification affirms the progress we’ve made, but more importantly, it reinforces our commitment to continually improving the systems, practices, and partnerships that ensure every patient receives the highest standard of care.”

“Achieving the Joint Commission’s Excellent Health Outcomes for All certification across all three Merrimack Health hospitals was a significant milestone for our system,” said Anthony Alley, MSN, RN, NE-BC, Chief Nurse Executive and Quality Officer, Merrimack Health.  The system originally earned the certification for its Lawence General Hospital and then completed the process a second time upon taking over the former Holy Family Hospitals. “As a newly established health system, advancing quality, safety, and equitable care for every patient has been a top priority from day one and reflects a commitment by the organization at the highest levels. Healthcare quality is a continuous journey that we must consistently pursue to meet the needs of our patients in a meaningful way.”

A NATION-LEADING COMMITMENT

As a component of the commonwealth’s HQEIP, which requires a series of performance targets across its five-year timeline, this certification serves as one way that hospitals and health systems are embedding healthcare quality and equity into hospital operations. The HQEIP is designed to build capacity for patient data collection, identify gaps in access to care and resources across the healthcare system, and strengthen collaboration between providers. This commitment was designed to address systemic inequities that have historically adversely affected health outcomes for people based on their income status, ability, language, and other socioeconomic factors.

In the last three years, hospitals have:

• Streamlined data collection of patient demographic information;
• Trained more than 124,000 providers in disability competent care;
• Increased screening for health-related social needs (HRSN) in their emergency departments;
• Established community partnerships to connect patients to resources for HRSN;
• Hired dedicated staff leaders to drive strategy and engagement;
• Collaborated with ACO partners on interventions aimed at closing health disparities through improved clinical outcomes; and
• Evaluated and improved the patient experience for patients needing accommodation and translation needs.

Now entering the HQEIP’s fourth year, Massachusetts hospitals have committed to achieving 204 health equity goals by 2027.