Primaris was founded in 1983 by the Missouri State Medical Association and the Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons. Primaris is a healthcare quality improvement and consulting organization that assists providers with delivering care that is patient-centered, safe, effective, and timely.
Primaris is the official Medicare Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) for Missouri. By directly partnering with providers in all settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, and physician offices, QIOs achieve national quality goals such as increasing cancer screening, reducing healthcare associated infections, decreasing avoidable hospital readmissions, and eliminating unnecessary restraints in long term care facilities.
Primaris also operates the CLAIM program, providing free, unbiased counseling to Missourians with Medicare and their families. CLAIM helps people understand their benefits and options so they can make informed decisions about their healthcare.
As a partner of the Missouri Health Information Technology Assistance Center, Primaris helps physicians utilize technology tools, such as electronic health records, to care for their patients. Additional services offered by Primaris include medical record review and data abstraction, and informal dispute resolution for long term care facilities.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services leads a national health care quality improvement program. The program is implemented locally by an independent network of QIOs in each state and territory.
What do QIOs do?
We bring communities together for learning and action to achieve national health quality goals. We support providers and practitioners with evidence-based clinical interventions and objective expertise. We protect beneciaries and improve the value of health care by addressing quality complaints and reviewing discharge appeals.
Our leadership, expertise and commitment improve health and health care for all Americans.
Why does Medicare have QIOs?
CMS relies on QIOs to improve the quality of health care for all Medicare beneficiaries. Furthermore, QIOs are required under Sections 1152-1154 of the Social Security Act. Throughout its history, the program has been instrumental in advancing national efforts to motivate providers in improving quality, and in measuring and improving outcomes of quality.
Confidentiality
Participation in Primaris Quality Improvement Projects is confidential by federal law. Primaris can disclose only a very limited amount of information about project participants without prior written consent.
About Primaris
