Author Archive
Take Five Interview with Kate Shamszad
Kate Shamszad, MS, MPH, Director of the Medicaid Policy Center, a program of the Quality Institute. As the new Director of the Medicaid Policy Center (MPC), what are your short and long-term priorities for the program? It’s been a really busy last year with the onset of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Maintaining high…Read More…
In the Wake of the Pandemic, Opportunities Exist
Just over 100 years ago, an especially virulent influenza ignited a cataclysmic pandemic that killed an estimated 50 million to 100 million people around the world. The pandemic of 1918 also ushered in new ways of understanding and delivering health care. Advances that followed the pandemic included a national disease reporting system, employer-based health insurance,…Read More…
Take Five Interview with Nicholas Blanck
Nicholas Blanck, CRNA MSN, APN-Anesthesia, is the Executive Director of Legislative Affairs for the New Jersey Association of Nurse Anesthetists (NJANA), a member of the Quality Institute’s Association Council. Managing the pain and comfort of patients going into surgery can be challenging, especially during this pandemic. How does a nurse anesthetist ease this stress?…Read More…
Three Key Questions to Ask This Budget Season
Gov. Murphy’s budget, now before the state legislature, includes initiatives to create a more resilient, equitable and healthier state. The Quality Institute supports the goals of the governor’s budget. We have unprecedented opportunities now, especially with an expected $9 billion coming to state and local governments through the federal American Rescue Plan. We must…Read More…
Take Five Interview with Suzy Dyer, Esq.
Suzy Dyer, Esq., is Executive Director of the Parker Family Health Center, a member of the Quality Institute’s Consumer Council. Parker Family Health Center provides free medical care to Monmouth County residents without health insurance. How do you financially support your work? We support our work through fund development — specifically through grants and individual…Read More…
Two Towns, Two Different Approaches to Local Boards of Health
Last Saturday, I Zoomed into my first New Jersey Local Boards of Health Association (NJLBHA) meeting. The group focused on the critical topic of school re-openings during the COVID-19 pandemic. One member, a researcher and public health physician, presented the latest studies on school re-openings. Then we heard two opposite examples of how public health…Read More…
DOBI Report Provides Look at How Surprise Billing Law is Working
Today I am sharing a report recently posted on the website of the Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI). The report provides data to help us determine whether New Jersey’s Out-of-Network Consumer Protection, Transparency, Cost Containment, and Accountability Act is successfully protecting consumers and reducing overall health care costs. It also provides some insight into…Read More…
Take Five Interview with Amy Mansue
Amy Mansue is the President and CEO of Inspira Health, a member of the Quality Institute’s Provider Council, System Level. You stepped into the leadership role of Inspira Health in September of last year. What are your top priorities for improving quality and patient safety? The organization has been on a High Reliability journey…Read More…