Published on January 10, 2012
Dean Clinic Physician Selected for Innovation Advisors Program and Grant
Maureen Murphy, MD Will Team Up with Other Healthcare Professionals to Explore Ways to Improve Rural Healthcare
Dean Clinic is pleased to announce that Maureen Murphy, MD, has been selected by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as part of its new Innovation Advisors Program. Dr. Murphy is a Family Practice physician at Dean Clinic – Lake Delton and the Director of Medical Affairs at St. Clare Hospital. She is one of 73 individuals from 27 States and the District of Columbia selected for the program.
The 73 individuals were selected from 920 applications through a competitive process. The Innovation Advisors Program encourages health care professionals to use their knowledge and skills to explore new ways to improve patient care and reduce costs. The program is part of the CMS Innovation Center, which was created by the Affordable Care Act to test new models of health care delivery and payment.
To be selected for the program, health care professionals were required to submit an application outlining a proposed innovation project that they would work on as a member of the advisory group. Dr. Murphy’s project includes starting a palliative care program that could be replicated by other small rural hospitals. Palliative care focuses on relieving the suffering and improving the quality of life for patients with serious illnesses.
“I want to develop a program that will bridge the gap between the diagnosis of a serious illness and that individual’s end-of-life needs,” says Dr. Murphy. “It is vital that we support our patients and their families in terms of what’s best for them and help them to achieve their goals.”
The goal of Dr. Murphy’s project will be to have 100% of patients who have a diagnosis of congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, stroke or end-stage cancer receive a palliative care consult.
In addition to developing her specific palliative care piece, Dr. Murphy and the other advisors will devote a certain percentage of their time to assist the Innovation Center in supporting improvements in local health care and sharing new ideas and innovations regionally and across the United States. Advisors will meet periodically to exchange insights, report on breakthrough successes and solve health care challenges.
“I see my role as an Innovation Advisor, and the goal of my project, as closely aligned with Dean Clinic and St. Clare Hospital’s mission of exceptional health care,” says Dr. Murphy.
More information about the Innovation Advisors Program including a fact sheet and list of participants can be found on the Innovations website.
