Learning Together: Upcoming Conferences on Paying for Value in Cancer Care and Patient Safety

The Bree Collaborative is lucky to live within a diverse and vibrant health care community. Today, we are highlighting, and looking forward to attending, two spring conferences – the Hutchinson Institute for Cancer Outcomes Research’s (HICOR) Paying for Value: 2017 Value in Cancer Care Summit on Friday, April 7^th and the Washington Patient Safety Coalition’s Northwest Patient Safety Conference: The Heart and Science of Patient Safety on Thursday, May 11^th. We worked closely with HICOR on our Oncology Care recommendations and the Coalition, like the Bree Collaborative, is powered by a group of stakeholders dedicated to patient safety and is also housed within the Foundation for Health Care Quality. You can read more about their work in our 2015 blog here.

Paying for Value: 2017 Value in Cancer Care Summit | Friday, April 7, 2017
8:00am – 5:00pm | Bell Harbor International Conference Center, Seattle, Washington
Register here | 6.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ | Visit the Conference Website

The 2017 theme of Paying for Value will bring together providers, patients, patient advocates, payers, health system representatives and researchers to:
– Discuss the future of value-based cancer care delivery in the region
– Preview regional adherence to national quality metrics
– Explore opportunities and barriers around value-based purchasing from perspectives of diverse experts in the field

Keynote Speakers
– A Framework for Value-Based Purchasing by Nancy E. Davidson, MD, President and Executive Director, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance; Senior Vice President and Director, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center; President (2016-2017), American Association for Cancer Research
– Practice Transformation in Oncology Payment Models by Ray D. Page, DO, PhD, FACOI, President and Director of Research, The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders

Panelists
– Ted Conklin, MD, Vice President of Provider & Customer Engagement, Premera Blue Cross
– Barry Straube, MD, Former Chief Medical Officer, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
– Carla Tardif, Chief Executive Officer, Family Reach
– Jeffery Ward, MD, Medical Oncologist & Hematologist, Swedish Cancer Institute; Medical Director, Providence Hospice of Snohomish County; Payment Reform Task Force (chair), Government Relations Committee, Education Committee, Clinical Practice Committee (former chair), American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)

Northwest Patient Safety Conference: The Heart and Science of Patient Safety | Thursday, May 11^th
7:30am – 4:30pm | Seattle Airport Marriott, Seatac, Washington
Register here | Visit the Conference Website

As spring quickly approaches, so too does the unofficial start of conference season.  This time every year, members of the patient safety community seek opportunities to learn and share with other healthcare leaders at various national conferences and events. This seems a fitting time to point out a similar resource right here in Washington State. With more localized content and a venue easily accessible to the regional healthcare community, the Northwest Patient Safety Conference convenes hundreds of leaders in patient safety, quality, and risk for a full day of learning from accomplished industry leaders and from each other.

The Northwest Patient Safety Conference is presented annually by the Washington Patient Safety Coalition. The only event of its kind in the Western United States, it brings innovative, stimulating, and challenging ideas to a broad audience. Presentation topics and discussions will be of interest to clinical leaders, patients and family members, providers from all settings, and others interested in and responsible for patient safety in healthcare delivery.

The 15^th annual conference will be held on May 11, 2017 at Marriott, SeaTac International Airport and we are looking forward to another excellent event. We’ve been listening to attendee feedback from previous years and are excited to bring the conference back to a more central location. We’ve also stacked our agenda with engaging sessions by accomplished leaders in the world of patient safety including:
– Keynote speaker: Dr. David Classen, CMIO Pascal Metrics will be focusing on increased use of HIT and medical records for development of prospective and real time patient safety indicators.
– Plenary Speaker: Dorothy Teeter, Director of the Washington State Healthcare Authority will be focusing on progress within the Healthier Washington Initiative, with a focused update on decision update certification and incentivizing capture of patient experience as a metric within value based purchasing contracts.
– Two-Hour CRP Workshop: Dr. Tom Gallagher, of University of Washington and National Expert in Communication Resolution will be focusing on Implementation of Communication and Resolution Programs within healthcare organizations.
– A Panel Discussion:  Ginny Weir, Director of the Bree Collaborative will be hosting a panel discussion on the Bree Collaborative’s bundled payment models with a focus on patient safety involving experts including patients themselves.

 Attendees can also look forward to interactive activities and informative presentations related to this year’s theme, “The Heart and Science of Patient Safety,” including:
– Breakout sessions along 4 topic tracks: Disparities in safe care delivery, safe care everywhere- safety outside the acute setting, challenges and opportunities in diagnostic error, and transforming communication in healthcare- Communication and Resolution Programs.
– The annual ceremony of Qualis Health Awards for Excellence in Healthcare Quality.
– A poster gallery, exhibition hall, and book sale.

As spring and summer event seasons provide you the chance to gain national context on patient safety and quality priorities, don’t forget to take advantage of the opportunity learn and collaborate with leaders in your own backyard. For additional information on the Northwest Patient Safety Conference speakers, sponsorship benefits or to submit a poster abstract, please visit our website or contact us directly. We hope to see you in SeaTac on May 11^th!

– Kelly Veit, MHA, Program Director and Emily Wittenhagen, Program Assistant, Washington Patient Safety Coalition. You can reach them at Kveit@qualityhealth.org and ewittenhagen@qualityhealth.org.