Nov 24 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) seeks to gain a comprehensive understanding of the impact of changes adopted by health care systems and health care providers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many healthcare systems and clinicians have rapidly reengineered their policies and programs to improve access, safety, quality, outcomes including mortality and morbidity, cost, and value for both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 related medical conditions. HHS plans to identify and learn from effective innovative approaches and best practices implemented by non-HHS organizations in order to inform HHS priorities and programs.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, medical providers, medical facilities, academic centers, and health systems rapidly reengineered healthcare policies and programs to ensure preservation of health care access, safety, quality, continuity, value, and outcomes. As a result, there has been a proliferation of innovative programs, policies, and best practices to prevent and mitigate the consequences of COVID-19, while simultaneously preserving access to routine and emergency healthcare services for non-COVID-19 medical conditions. An example of the paradigmatic shift in the delivery of health care is the rapid adoption and scaling of telehealth services. Although the pandemic disrupted the entire health care ecosystem in the U.S., it also provided an opportunity and impetus to innovate across the continuum of individual and population health, including screening, surveillance, prevention, treatment, supply chain management, and public health interventions. These changes may persist for the duration of the public health emergency, and potentially beyond it.
The main purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is for HHS to gather information on effective innovative approaches and best practices in health care in response to the COVID-19 pandemic by non-HHS health care systems and providers. The information provided will help inform and guide the HHS response to build a healthy and resilient nation. This RFI includes innovations and best practices in health care for both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 health conditions.
The definition of “health” system or services and/or “healthcare” system or services, for the purposes of this RFI, is broad. We seek an understanding of effective best practices and innovations in the provision of services across the health and public health continuum by a variety of organizations. Responses can focus on select aspects or on the entire continuum of care, to include surveillance, screening, prevention, treatment, and/or public health interventions.
We are specifically interested in novel approaches and best practices that are associated with data confirming efficacy and/or effectiveness with demonstrated improvements in one or more of the following measures: Patient outcomes, access to health care, safety, quality, and/or value.
Responses should include the following:
○ A description of the innovation/best practice.
○ The rationale for the implementation of the innovation/best practice.
○ Data and/or results confirming efficacy and/or effectiveness of the innovation/best practice, including demographic data; control conditions; outcomes measures (e.g., mortality, morbidity, health care access, safety, quality, cost, value, etc.); analytic strategy; and results. If the evaluation is currently underway, please describe the study design and expected timeline for completion of the study.
○ Costs associated with implementing the the innovation/best practice.
○ Have these innovations/best practices been incorporated as permanent organizational changes? If not, why not?
○ Can the innovation/best practice be scaled to larger, diverse groups and/or locations for a longer period? If yes, please describe the potential impacts on outcomes.
○ Did or could specific HHS policies or programs facilitate the design and implementation of an innovation/best practice? (If yes, please provide details of how the policy or program affects or could affect the innovation/best practice positively).
○ By contrast, did or could specific HHS policies or programs hinder the design and implementation of an innovation/best practice? (If yes, please provide details of how the policy or program affects or could affect the innovation/best practice negatively).
FR notice requesting information:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/11/24/2020-25795/effective-and-innovative-approachesbest-practices-in-health-care-in-response-to-the-covid-19