42 U.S.C. § 299b: Quality improvement technical assistance and implementation

technical assistance grants or contracts to eligible entities to provide technical support to institutions that deliver health care and health care providers (including rural and urban providers of services and suppliers with limited infrastructure and financial resources to implement and support quality improvement activities, providers of services and suppliers with poor performance scores, and providers of services and suppliers for which there are disparities in care among subgroups of patients) so that such institutions and providers understand, adapt, and implement the models and practices identified in the research conducted by the Center, including the Quality Improvement Networks Research Program; and implementation grants or contracts to eligible entities to implement the models and practices described under paragraph (1). may be a health care provider, health care provider association, professional society, health care worker organization, Indian health organization, quality improvement organization, patient safety organization, local quality improvement collaborative, the Joint Commission, academic health center, university, physician-based research network, primary care extension program established under section 280g–12 of this title , a Federal Indian Health Service program or a health program operated by an Indian tribe (as defined in section 1603 of title 25 ), or any other entity identified by the Secretary; and shall have demonstrated expertise in providing information and technical support and assistance to health care providers regarding quality improvement. may be a hospital or other health care provider or consortium or 1 providers, as determined by the Secretary; and 1 So in original. Probably should be “of”. shall have demonstrated expertise in providing information and technical support and assistance to health care providers regarding quality improvement. charging fees to institutions and providers that receive technical support from the entity; and reducing or eliminating such fees for such institutions and providers that serve low-income populations; and such other information as the Director may require. financial cost, staffing requirements, and timeline 2 for implementation; and 2 So in original. Probably should be “a timeline”. pre- and projected post-implementation quality measure performance data in targeted improvement areas identified by the Secretary; and such other information as the Director may require. The Director may not award a grant or contract under this section to an entity unless the entity agrees that it will make available (directly or through contributions from other public or private entities) non-Federal contributions toward the activities to be carried out under the grant or contract in an amount equal to $1 for each $5 of Federal funds provided under the grant or contract. Such non-Federal matching funds may be provided directly or through donations from public or private entities and may be in cash or in-kind, fairly evaluated, including plant, equipment, or services. the success of such entity in achieving the implementation, by the health care institutions and providers assisted by such entity, of the models and practices identified in the research conducted by the Center under section 299b–33 of this title ; the perception of the health care institutions and providers assisted by such entity regarding the value of the entity; and where practicable, better patient health outcomes and lower cost resulting from the assistance provided by such entity. Based on the outcome of the evaluation of the entity under paragraph (1), the Director shall determine whether to renew a grant or contract with such entity under this section. The entities that receive a grant or contract under this section shall coordinate with health information technology regional extension centers under section 300jj–32(c) of this title and the primary care extension program established under section 280g–12 of this title regarding the dissemination of quality improvement, system delivery reform, and best practices information.