« The Dual Agenda: August 5, 2015 Issue

Noteworthy News

Reducing Costs and Improving Care through Workforce Training

Direct Course has released a white paper that examines the impact that proper training of direct care workers can have on the cost and quality of care for older adults and people with disabilities. The paper argues that Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) are in a position to make a tremendous difference in the future of direct care and its staffing. By setting training standards for their providers, MCOs can establish network-wide qualifications, encouraging person-centered and competency-based training for the benefit of those giving and receiving care, as well as for the MCO itself.

Oregon Consumers Rate Coordinated Care Organizations

The Oregon Center for Public Policy has released a report on how consumers in the state’s Coordinated Care Organizations (CCOs) rate their experience of care. The scores shed light on how well CCOs are improving the quality of health care for Medicaid enrollees in Oregon. The information in the report comes from the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey, which measures members’ actual experience of care, making it a more objective source of information than a typical customer satisfaction survey. The report shows results for CAHPS surveys from 2013 and 2014.