ACE OMB SiteVisitCorrespondence

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Evaluation of the Acute Care Episode (ACE) Demonstration
Site Visit Correspondence

IMPAQ International, LLC

Evaluation of the Acute Care Episode (ACE) Demonstration
Site Visit Correspondence
Exhibit 1: Letter to Site Liaison (ACE Manager)
[IMPAQ International Letterhead]
Date
Dear [SITE LIAISON NAME]:
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has contracted with IMPAQ
International, LLC and the Hilltop Institute at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County to
conduct an evaluation of the Acute Care Episode (ACE) Demonstration. As you may know, part
of the evaluation involves organizing two site visits at participating hospitals; one in the first
year and the other in the final year of the demonstration.
During each site visit, there will be a series of activities including interviews with key
stakeholders, such as the chief executive officer, chief operating officer, chief financial officer,
medical chiefs of service in orthopedics and cardiology, and managers of nursing, physical
therapy, cardiac intervention lab, and discharge planning departments.
Additionally, there will be a series of focus groups that will occur during each site visit. During
the first site visit, focus groups will be conducted for several categories of staff and physicians,
including orthopedic and/or cardiac surgeons, and others who are important to the demonstration
as well as beneficiaries who have undergone an ACE procedure. In the second site visit, we will
conduct focus groups with the same types of individuals.
In order for us to reach the most appropriate staff for the interviews and focus groups we would
appreciate your assistance in identifying key personnel from your site. Your assistance is
important in order to select individuals and produce a complete list of appropriate staff.
As the liaison for your demonstration site, our team will provide you regular communication
about the progress of the evaluation and related activities through phone calls and email as
appropriate. If you have any questions, you may contact Oswaldo Urdapilleta, PhD, ACE
Demonstration Evaluation Project Director at 443-367-0088, ext. 232, or e-mail him at
ourdapilleta@impaqint.com. Alternatively, you may contact Jesse M. Levy, PhD who is the
Federal Project Officer for the Evaluation of the ACE Demonstration. His phone number is 410786-6600; his e-mail address is jesse.levy@cms.hhs.gov.
Thank you for your support and assistance with this evaluation. Your guidance provides a critical
role in this process. We appreciate your time and are looking forward to working with you.
Sincerely,
Oswaldo Urdapilleta, PhD

IMPAQ International, LLC

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Evaluation of the Acute Care Episode (ACE) Demonstration
Site Visit Correspondence
Exhibit 2: Letter to Key Stakeholder Interviewees
(CEO/CFO/COO, Hospital Managers, and ACE Manager)
[IMPAQ International Letterhead]
Date
Dear [KEY STAKEHOLDER NAME]:
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has contracted with IMPAQ
International, LLC and the Hilltop Institute at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County to
conduct an evaluation of the Acute Care Episode (ACE) Demonstration in which [NAME OF SITE]
is participating. As you may know, part of the evaluation involves organizing two site visits at
participating hospitals; one in the first year and the other in the final year of the demonstration.
During each site visit, there will be a series of activities such as interviews and focus groups with
key personnel involved in the development and implementation of the demonstration.
[NAME OF LIAISON], the site liaison from [NAME OF HOSPITAL], is working closely with the
evaluation team and has helped us identify you as a key individual in the ACE Demonstration.
As a critical person in the demonstration, we would appreciate your participation in two
interviews (one in the first year of the project and one in the last). The interviews are expected to
last approximately 1.5 hours and will entail a discussion from your perspective of the
demonstration’s planning and implementation, as well as its interim, short and longer effects.
A member of our evaluation team will be conducting interviews between [PROVIDE RANGE OF
at [NAME OF SITE] for the initial site visit. Further, a member of our team will contact you
to schedule an interview at your convenience. Dates for the second site visit have not been
determined at this time. If you have any questions about these interviews, please contact
Oswaldo Urdapilleta, PhD, ACE Demonstration Evaluation Project Director at 443-367-0088,
ext. 232, or e-mail him at ourdapilleta@impaqint.com.

DATES]

We understand that you have many obligations and appreciate your time. Your insights will
provide invaluable information about the ACE Demonstration program.
Sincerely,
Oswaldo Urdapilleta, PhD
ACE Demonstration Evaluation Project Director

IMPAQ International, LLC

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Evaluation of the Acute Care Episode (ACE) Demonstration
Site Visit Correspondence
Exhibit 3: Introductory Letter to Focus Group Participants (Beneficiaries)
[IMPAQ International Letterhead]
Date
Dear [FOCUS GROUP PARTICIPANT NAME]:
We hope that this letter finds you well on the road to recovery following your recent
hospitalization.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has contracted with IMPAQ
International, LLC and the Hilltop Institute at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County to
conduct an evaluation of your experience with the [CARDIAC/ORTHOPEDIC] procedure you
underwent at [NAME OF HOSPITAL]. As part of our evaluation we are conducting focus groups
with Medicare beneficiaries who have recently been hospitalized for [TYPE OF TREATMENT] at
[NAME OF HOSPITAL]. Our team is interested in evaluating your experience during that episode of
care and would like to request your participation in these focus groups. Enclosed is a letter from
CMS highlighting the importance of this project and your participation.
Your participation is voluntary and will be held confidential. Refusal to participate will involve
no penalty or loss of Medicare benefits to which you are otherwise entitled, and you may
discontinue participation at any time without any consequences
Please send back the self-addressed stamped post card saying that you will participate or that you
do not want to participate. If you send the post card back saying that you are not interested, you
will receive no further communication about this evaluation.
If you choose to participate, or if you do not send back the letter, someone from our evaluation
team will call you to give you more information about the focus group date and location. If you
choose to participate, the total time will be no more than 1.5 hours. We will provide everything
you need to participate in the focus group. We will also provide you with a $25 stipend as well as
refreshments.
If you have questions and would like to talk to someone about this evaluation or focus groups,
you can speak to a member of our evaluation team by calling 1-800-xxx-xxxx and saying, “I am
calling about the ACE focus groups”.
On behalf of CMS, I would like to thank you in advance for helping us with this very important
evaluation.
Sincerely,
Signatory

IMPAQ International, LLC

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Evaluation of the Acute Care Episode (ACE) Demonstration
Site Visit Correspondence

Exhibit 4: Introductory Letter to Focus Group Participants
(Physicians and Non-Physicians)
[IMPAQ International Letterhead]
Date
Dear [FOCUS GROUP PARTICIPANT NAME]:
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has contracted with IMPAQ
International, LLC and the Hilltop Institute at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County to
conduct an evaluation of the Acute Care Episode (ACE) Demonstration in which [NAME OF SITE]
is participating. As you may know, part of the evaluation involves organizing two site visits at
participating hospitals; one in the first year and the other in the final year of the demonstration.
During each site visit, there will be a series of activities including focus groups with key
personnel involved in the development and implementation of the ACE demonstration.
This letter is being sent to you because you have been selected to participate in a focus group
with some of your colleagues to discuss your perspective about various aspects of the planning,
implementation, and outcomes of the demonstration. We would appreciate your participation in
this critical component of the evaluation process.
The focus groups are expected to last approximately 1.5 hours. We will provide everything you
need to participate in the focus group as well some refreshments. Our evaluation team will be
conducting focus groups between [RANGE OF DATES] at [NAME OF SITE] for the initial site visit. A
member of our team will contact you to give you more information about the focus group date
and location.
If you have any questions about these focus groups, please contact Oswaldo Urdapilleta, PhD,
ACE Demonstration Evaluation Project Director at 443-367-0088, ext. 232, or e-mail him at
ourdapilleta@impaqint.com. Furthermore, [LIAISON NAME] is the liaison for [NAME OF SITE], you
may also contact [HIM/HER] at [NUMBER AND EMAIL].
Thank you for your help. We understand that you have many obligations and appreciate your
time. Your insights will be invaluable to understanding the short- and long-term impact of the
ACE Demonstration on [NAME OF SITE] and its patients.
Sincerely,
Signatory

IMPAQ International, LLC

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Evaluation of the Acute Care Episode (ACE) Demonstration
Site Visit Correspondence
Exhibit 5: Official CMS Letter to Beneficiaries
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
7500 Security Boulevard, Mail Stop C3-21-28
Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850

Dear [FOCUS GROUP PARTICIPANT NAME]:
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has contracted with IMPAQ
International, LLC and the Hilltop Institute at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County to
conduct an evaluation of your experience from the treatment you received at [NAME OF
HOSPITAL].
As part of the evaluation, IMPAQ will be conducting focus groups with Medicare beneficiaries
who have recently been hospitalized for [TYPE OF TREATMENT] at [NAME OF HOSPITAL]. CMS is
committed to hearing from Medicare beneficiaries and understanding your experiences.
We would like to invite you to participate in a focus group with other beneficiaries. Your
decision to participate will be held confidential. Additionally, if you choose not to participate
there will be no changes to your Medicare benefits to which you are otherwise entitled.
If you choose to participate, a representative from IMPAQ will be contact you within a few days
with more specific information. I hope when you are contacted you will accept the invitation
and share your perspective.
Your input will be valuable in assisting CMS in assessing programs and policies for the future.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at (410) 786-6600 or e-mail me at
jesse.levy@cms.hhs.gov.
Sincerely,
Jesse M. Levy, PhD
Medicare Acute Care Demonstration Evaluation
Project Officer
Office of Research, Development and Information
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

IMPAQ International, LLC

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