New England Journal of Medicine publication features article on our CQIs

A comprehensive article on Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s internationally recognized Collaborative Quality Initiatives appeared in the September issue of NEJM Catalyst Innovations in Care Delivery. The article looks at how clinician-led efforts have improved the quality of care and lowered costs for Blue Cross customers — essentially creating a system of value-based care in various specialties and areas of care — over the past 25 years.

It was authored by:

• Ryan Howard, M.D., general surgery resident, Michigan Medicine
• James Grant, M.D, senior vice president and chief medical officer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
• Thomas Leyden, director of Value Partnerships, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
• Michael Englesbe, M.D., professor of surgery, Michigan Medicine, and portfolio director for the CQIs for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

Through the statewide CQI program, more than 100 Michigan hospitals and more than 10,000 physician partners contribute clinical data on a wide variety of clinical improvement programs designed to address quality, cost, patient experience and appropriateness of treatment.

Here’s a brief excerpt from the introduction:

“Evidence suggests that the CQIs have improved care and lowered costs across dozens of specialties. Given their success, there is growing interest nationally in replicating this approach, with other states launching their own regional collaborative QI programs. In this article, we review the structure, principles, operations, results and challenges of the CQIs in Michigan over their 25-year history.”

We encourage you to read the article, titled “Improving the Quality of Health Care through 25 Years of Statewide Collaboration in Michigan.”*

*Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan doesn’t own or control this website.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are nonprofit corporations and independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.