Learning and Diffusion Support for Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) Initiatives

The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) Initiatives conducts demonstrations designed to improve the quality or efficiency of care provided to Medicare or Medicaid beneficiaries. An early and continuing tenet of CMMI is that care transformation can be more rapidly achieved and diffused through participant peer-to-peer learning.

AIR was engaged early in CMMI operations to support the center’s Learning and Diffusion Group in developing a peer-to-peer learning infrastructure and providing shared learning opportunities across multiple initiatives, including the Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative,  Pioneer Accountable Care Organizations, Federally Qualified Health Center-Advanced Primary Care Program, and the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement initiative. AIR develop and provided technical assistance and training across CMMI’s portfolio of demonstrations and initiatives to increase awareness and engagement of demonstration participants, help them achieve results, and diffuse best practices within and across CMMI models.

Activities included coaching by improvement advisors, subject matter experts, and external faculty to support program implementation (e.g., change package development), peer-to-peer learning via didactic and interactive events (e.g., action and affinity group meetings, webinars, and virtual conferences). In addition, AIR developed the CMMI shared-learning platform, a secure website for demonstration participants, and trained both CMS staff and demonstration participants to use the site. Across all CMMI models, hundreds of provider groups participated in shared-learning activities coordinated by AIR, received direct coaching, and accessed resources developed for the shared learning platform.