Michigan Quality Improvement Network (MQIN)

Michigan Quality Improvement Network

The Michigan Quality Improvement Network (MQIN) is the Health Center Controlled Network (HCCN) for Michigan. HCCNs are networks of health centers that work together to strengthen and leverage health information technology (IT) to improve health centers’ operational and clinical practices that result in better health outcomes for the communities they serve.  Established in 2012, MQIN is responsible for providing support to Michigan’s community health centers to provide the best care for their patients.

Vision

To promote enhanced sharing of health care information, expertise, tools, and resources to address key clinical, financial, and operational needs through greater program integration.

Who We Serve

Currently, all the 40 MQIN member Health Centers which include 39 FQHCs and 1 LAL participate in the HCCN program.

What We Do

Network members receive training and technical assistance from MQIN staff and expert consultants to improve performance, optimize resources, and leverage influence to create a supportive environment for health centers.

Each member health center designates a staff member as their MQIN Champion. This person acts as a liaison for information and the main contact point. Champions are eligible to sit on the MQIN Committee, which has representation in all areas of health centers including dental, medical, quality, and health information.

Governance

The work of MQIN is governed by a leadership committee, which has participating health center representation from different areas and backgrounds including clinical, quality, health information technology, and administration.

Current Project (Aug 1, 2022- July 31, 2025)

The Michigan Primary Care Association’s HCCN Michigan Quality Improvement Network (MQIN) will receive $1.29 million annually over the next three years to serve 40 health centers in Michigan. This is MQIN’s fourth consecutive HCCN award.

MQIN will use this funding to support all the participating Michigan health centers in leveraging health information technology and data to deliver high-quality, culturally competent, equitable, and comprehensive primary health care, with a specific focus on the following improvements in:

  • Clinical quality
  • Patient-centered care
  • Provider and staff well-being

Within these three focus areas there are 10 different HRSA objectives of the HCCN program, including

  • Patient Engagement – Increase the percentage of PHCs that support patients and families’ participation in their health care through expanded use of integrated digital health tools (e.g., electronic messages sent through patient portals to providers, telehealth visits, remote monitoring devices).
  • Patient Privacy and Cybersecurity – Increase the percentage of PHCs with formally defined health information and technology policies and practices that advance security to protect individual privacy and organizational access.
  • Social Risk Factor Intervention – Increase the percentage of PHCs that use patient-level data on social risk factors to support patient care plans for coordinated, effective interventions.
  • Disaggregated, patient-level data – Increase the percentage of PHCs with systems and staff aligned with submitting disaggregated, patient-level data via UDS+.
  • Interoperable Data Exchange and Integration – Increase the percentage of PHCs with the capacity to integrate clinical information with data from clinical and non-clinical sources across the health care continuum (e.g., hospitals, specialty providers, departments of health, health information exchanges (HIE), care coordinators, social service/housing organizations) to optimize care coordination and workflows
  • Data Utilization – Increase the percentage of PHCs that use data strategies, such as use of predictive analytics with data visualization, to support performance improvement and value-based care activities.
  • Leveraging digital health tools – Increase the percentage of PHCs that support providers and staff in achieving and maintaining proficiency in the use of digital health tools (e.g., telehealth and remote patient monitoring tools).
  • Health IT Usability and Adoption – Increase the percentage of PHCs that improve health IT usability and adoption by providers, staff, and patients (e.g., align EHRs with clinical workflows, improve structured data capture in and/or outside of EHRs, use of metadata to improve EHR user experience).
  • Health Equity (Applicant Choice) – Increase the number of PHCs that will focus on utilizing a health IT innovation (e.g., digital patient engagement tools, remote patient monitoring, emergency preparedness, artificial intelligence) to improve the health status of their PHCs’ communities by reducing health disparities and/or addressing social determinants of health.
  • Improving Digital Health Tools (Applicant Choice) – Increase the number of PHCs that will enhance the quality and coordination of health services by focusing on improving the functionality of digital health tools (e.g., EHRs, virtual care platforms, patient portals, analytic systems) in one or more of the following areas: (1) support relationships between providers and staff with patients, their families, and the community; (2) support high-functioning care teams; (3) integrate care delivery across systems and communities; (4) reduce workload; and (5) make care more equitable.

Previous Project Timelines

  • August 1, 2019 – July 31, 2022 (HQ2CS30273)
  • August 1, 2016 – July 31, 2019 (HQ2CS30273)
  • August 1, 2012 – July 31, 2016 (HQ2CS25661)

Resources

For more information about MQIN, please email Laurie Dahl.

This project is 100% supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number U86CS45822 for the $1.29 million titled “Health Center Controlled Networks”. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by, HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.