For more information, contact:
Susan Burns / MPRO
(248) 465-7375 / sburns@mpro.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Michigan Physicians’ Offices Receive Governor’s Award of Excellence
Award Honors Commitment to Excellence in the Ambulatory Care Setting
East Lansing, MI – May 2, 2007 – 182 Michigan physicians’ offices today received the 2006 Governor’s Award of Excellence for Improving Care in the Ambulatory Care Setting. The Governor presents this award in partnership with MPRO, Michigan’s Quality Improvement Organization (QIO). The award acknowledges excellence in health care quality and safety. This marks the sixth year that the Governor and MPRO have honored physicians’ offices statewide.
“Recipients of this award are committed to providing Michigan citizens with high quality health care services,” said Governor Jennifer Granholm. The Governor added, “Together we will continue to improve the long term health of citizens by focusing on strategies to protect public health.”
Award criterion aligns with the Physician Office Quality Improvement Program including the Doctor’s Office Quality-Information Technology (DOQ-IT). The DOQ-IT project promotes the adoption of electronic health record systems in small-to-medium sized physician offices. The clinical topics addressed by the Governor’s Award have been designated as national health care priorities by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Clinical areas of focus were individually selected from one of the following areas: preventive care, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, heart failure, or cancer screening.
“As Michigan’s QIO, MPRO is privileged to recognize physicians’ offices for embracing quality improvement initiatives,” said Debra Moss, MD, MBA, president and CEO of MPRO. Dr. Moss added “The Governor’s Award of Excellence is a seal of quality that denotes a commitment to excellence in the delivery of high quality care.”
Since 2001, more than 900 physicians throughout the state have received this honor. Primary Care Physician offices from Internal Medicine, Family Practice, General Practice, Gerontology, OB/GYN, and Endocrinology are eligible to apply.
The award has been enthusiastically supported by physicians and clinicians throughout the state, as well as by a variety of Michigan organizations and professional associations including: Academy of Family Physicians; Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan; Daimler Chrysler; Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Michigan Chapter; Michigan Academy of Physician Assistants; Michigan Association for Healthcare Quality; Michigan Association of Health Plans; Michigan Association of Osteopathic Family Physicians; Michigan Osteopathic Association; Michigan Medical Group Management Association; Michigan Nurses Association; Michigan State Medical Society; Michigan Quality Improvement Consortium; and The American College of Physicians Michigan Chapter.
MPRO and the Governor honored the physicians’ offices with an award ceremony on May 2, 2007, at the Eagle Eye Golf Club in East Lansing, Michigan. For further information on the award, go to: www.mpro.org.
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Editor’s note:
A complete list of recipients is available.
About MPRO: MPRO is under contract with the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services and serves as Michigan’s Quality Improvement Organization. MPRO works to educate Michigan’s 1.6 million Medicare beneficiaries on their rights and protections afforded to them under the Medicare Program. Furthermore, MPRO partners with Michigan Medicare providers to advance health care quality.
This material was prepared by MPRO, the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for Michigan, under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 8SOW-MI-T1D1-07-238