Massachusetts Culture Change Coalition

Contact Information 
Bill Graves
508-234-7306
BGraves@stcamillus.com

Alissa Weintraub
AWeintraub@maseniorcare.org
617-558-0202 x239

Website: No website at this time

Massachusetts is pleased to announce the 1^st edition of the Spring 2011 newsletter of the Massachusetts Culture Change Coalition {MACCC}. Please click here to download the newsletter, and feel free to distribute this widely and often.

History

• Grew out of the St. Louis Accord held in June 2005.
• MCCC is also the LANE for Massachusetts under the Advancing Excellence Campaign.
• Hosted two statewide culture change conferences in 2006 and 2010. Over 500 nursing facility providers, state and federal surveyors, consumer advocates and others attended each of the two conferences.
• Over 1,000 long term care professionals have participated in the coalition sponsored regional forums, which provide an opportunity for the LTC provider community to share their culture change experiences. These lively sessions provide resources, information and valuable networking for individuals and organizations interested in implementing culture change.
• Members of the coalition have participated in the Picker Grant study with the Pioneer Network testing strategies to optimize consumer involvement in culture change, this grant has moved on the phase two, which the Massachusetts coalition will be involved in.
• Currently working on a multi-audience newsletter on culture change to be distributed twice a year for two years, with funding from the MA Department of Public Health.
• The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), Division of Health Care Quality (DHCQ) has a new two-year pilot initiative called the Quality of Life Program (QLP).  This program will focus on learning and applying the principles of culture change and will draw on the concepts of Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) to improve the quality of life and quality of care for residents in nursing homes.  Beginning on November 1, 2010, the nursing homes selected to participate in the QLP will have direct access to a QLP coordinator who will provide consultation, tools and resources needed to learn and employ CQI principles and methods and assist each home in meeting the goals and objectives of their project proposal to implement consistent assignment.

• In the Spring of 2011 the coalition continued its involvement with phase two of the Pioneer Network's project funded by the Picker Institute testing strategies to optimize consumer involvement in culture change.
• The coalition began working with Liz O'Connor from Strategy Matters to work on strategic planning for the upcoming years. In December 2011 the coalition held a full day retreat with Liz where they discussed goals for advancement, coalition sustainability, professional development, regulatory processes, and support of culture change initiatives, providers, and community.
• Coalition leaders have been meeting with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health regarding the next round of regional meetings on the topic of chair and bed alarms as restraints.
• Distributed first issue of a multi-audience newsletter on culture change, with funding from the MA Department of Public Health through CMP funds. The first issue featured consistent assignment and included information for providers, residents, family, and caregivers.
• The Massachusetts Culture Change Coalition continues to act as the LANE for the Advancing Excellence Campaign.
• The Massachusetts Senior Care Foundation, a leading member organization of the coalition, has launched a one year pilot project funded by the Commonwealth Fund to promote resident centered care and reduce the inappropriate use of antipsychotic medications in Massachusetts nursing homes. This pilot will build on initial work done with the OASIS curriculum, developed by Dr. Susan Wehry, that focuses on a unique resident centered approach to reducing antipsychotic medications.
• The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), Division of Health Care Quality (DHCQ) is running a two-year pilot initiative called the Quality of Life Program (QLP).  This program focuses on learning and applying the principles of culture change and draws on the concepts of Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) to improve the quality of life and quality of care for residents in nursing homes.  On November 1, 2010 ten nursing homes were selected to participate in the QLP and have direct access to a QLP coordinator who provides consultation, tools and resources needed to learn and employ CQI principles and methods and assist each home in meeting the goals and objectives of their project proposal to implement consistent assignment.