View Past Agenda
Explore the full schedule of sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities that took place at our last edition of The HEDIS® & Quality Improvement Summit.
Tuesday - September 30, 2025
12:00 PM
12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Half Day Workshop
Details TBD
Registration for this workshop includes a refreshment break.
Monday - November 03, 2025
8:00 AM
8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Information Desk Open
8:00 AM
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Networking Breakfast
9:00 AM
9:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Workshop A: Driving HEDIS® Excellence: Operational Strategies for the ECDS Era
- Build Your ECDS Digital Reporting Roadmap: Create a strategic implementation plan that integrates emerging technologies and addresses evolving policy requirements
- Strengthen HEDIS® Data Governance and Quality: Deploy robust HEDIS® data governance and quality assurance protocols to optimize ECDS reporting, and to ensure data integrity from source to submission
- Optimize Annual HEDIS® Project Governance: Enhance HEDIS® project governance to improve your annual HEDIS® initiatives
- Implement Effective Hybrid Method Loss Adjustment Strategies: Explore strategies including provider attestations, NLP, and chart key word searching to capture missing ECDS numerator and exclusion data
- Harness Supplemental Data Opportunities: Capitalize on the surge in digital data sources while implementing robust process management strategies to maximize measure performance outcomes
- Fortify HEDIS® Audit Preparedness: Develop a proactive HEDIS audit management strategy to ensure compliance and mitigate risks
- Cultivate an Interdisciplinary HEDIS® Approach: Foster collaboration across health plan departments and your network for improved ECDS outcomes
Speaker
Joia Merriweather
HEDIS®/Stars Program Manager at Texas Independence Health Plan
Speaker
Katharine Iskrant
Practice Leader at Healthy People
Speaker
Mary Goble
RN, Director Clinical Quality and Performance Improvement at Capital Health Plan
Speaker
Rhonda Farrar
Clinical HEDIS® Supervisor at Healthy People, Inc.
12:30 PM
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Networking Lunch
1:30 PM
1:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Workshop B: Quality Data Evolution: Best Practices in a Time of Change
- Interpret MA Star Ratings HEDIS® trends and cut point fluctuations to ensure MY2025 & 2026 performance success
- Manage the explosion of clinical data during the digital quality measurement transformation
- Explore opportunities for using HEDIS® data creatively to optimize CAHPS in the changing regulatory environment
Speaker
Alan Koo
CITO at Ingenia Health
Speaker
Liz Carr
VP of Product Delivery & Customer Experience at Ingenia
Speaker
Melissa Smith
Founder, Senior Advisor at Newton Smith Group
Speaker
Rodolfo G. Velasco
Chief Revenue Officer at Ingenia Health
5:00 PM
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Networking Cocktail Reception
(All Conference Attendees Invited)
Join us for drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and face-to-face networking with peers.
Tuesday - November 04, 2025
8:00 AM
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Exhibit Hall Open
8:00 AM
8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Information Desk Open
8:00 AM
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Networking Breakfast
9:00 AM
9:00 AM – 9:10 AM
Welcome Remarks
Speaker
Liz Carr
VP of Product Delivery & Customer Experience at Ingenia
9:10 AM
9:10 AM – 10:00 AM
Fireside Chat: Where Do We Go from Here? The Transition to Digital Quality Measurement
- Learn why digital quality measurement is more than a technology shift—it’s an organizational shift from measurement as compliance to measurement as enablement
- Envision ways to seamlessly integrate digital measures into care delivery and care management workflows
- Understand how digital measures can help any organization—regardless of size or technical sophistication—quickly understand how it is performing and where there are opportunities to improve
- Find out what NCQA is doing to advance digital HEDIS® measures and how organizations can prepare for the transition
Speaker
Melissa Smith
Founder, Senior Advisor at Newton Smith Group
Speaker
Tricia Elliott
Vice President, Quality Implementation at NCQA
Speaker
Vik Wadhwani
Chief Product & Transformation Officer at NCQA
10:00 AM
10:00 AM – 10:50 AM
HEDIS®'s Next Frontier: The Latest HEDIS® Measure Changes and Operationalizing the Digital Transformation
- Review the latest confirmed HEDIS® measure changes and their implications for providers, payers, and patients as well as how to prepare—and where to invest—to meet the changes on the horizon
- Gain insights into the future of HEDIS® and how the metrics and discuss how measures may need to adapt to meet the demands health care
- Explore how advancements in health IT, data analytics, AI, and telehealth are shaping the future of HEDIS® quality measurement and reporting
Speaker
Amy L. Reilly
Director, Health Plan Quality – HEDIS®, Health Plan Clinical Quality at Highmark Western and Northeastern New York
Speaker
Reid Kiser
MS, Founder & Managing Partner at Kiser Healthcare Soulutions
Speaker
Suze Cucci
MA-HLP, CPHQ, Head of Programs & Quality at Pyx Health
Speaker
Tina Dueringer
CEO, Principal Advisor at Dueringer Advisors
10:50 AM
10:50 AM – 11:10 AM
Networking Break
11:10 AM
11:10 AM – 12:00 PM
Duct Tape, a Toothpick, and a Half-Million Members: MacGyvering Gap Closure on a Shoestring Budget
- Think outside the box and learn practical strategies to achieve quality improvement goals creatively and cost-effectively
- Hear from organizations that have effectively closed quality measure gaps using minimal resources
- Identify strategies for leveraging existing resources creatively to address quality measure gaps without significant financial investment
Speaker
Caroline Munson Robertson
MBA, Director of Quality: Value-Based Care at LSU School of Medicine/LSU Healthcare Network
Speaker
Dr. Shannon I. Decker
Founder and CEO at VBC One
Speaker
Katie Martin
VP, Quality Management at Parkland Community Health Plan
Speaker
Leslie Rodriguez
PharmD, Consultant at BCBSAZ Health Choice
12:00 PM
12:00 PM – 12:15 PM
Tools & Tech Spotlight
Leading service providers will showcase their offerings in a quick-pitch setting. Evaluate the latest and greatest tech tools to bring back to your organization.
Speaker
Abbie Vogler
Account Executive at Surescripts
Speaker
Bryan Nelson
Manager, Solutions Engineering at Surescripts
12:15 PM
12:15 PM – 1:15 PM
Networking Lunch
1:15 PM
1:15 PM – 2:05 PM
Track A
Advocacy Unlocked: Shaping the Future of Healthcare Quality Improvement
- Gain insights into the quality advocacy landscape, including current trends, challenges, and opportunities that affect quality improvement initiatives at both state and national levels
- Explore how to collaborate with stakeholders to amplify advocacy efforts
- Become empowered with actionable insights to take an effective, active role in advocating for quality improvement in your own organization
Speaker
Andrew Schwab
Founder & CEO at Platform Government Strategies
Speaker
Ryann Hill
Founder & CEO at Indigo Hill Strategies
1:15 PM – 2:05 PM
Track B
Case Study: HEDIS®/IS in Partnership
- Learn how CareOregon brought IS into the HEDIS®/Stars process
- Explore lessons learned and best practices from CareOregon’s Clinical Data Integration strategy and practices
- Review areas of improvement and future opportunities
Speaker
Alice Johnson
Senior Vice President, Medicare at CareOregon
Speaker
Dave Smith
Director, IS Analytics and Data Warehousing at CareOregon
2:05 PM
2:05 PM – 2:10 PM
Transition Break
2:10 PM
2:10 PM – 3:00 PM
Track B
From Insight to Impact: Leveraging Data to Drive Continual Quality Improvement
- Explore how data can be transformed into meaningful action through a structured approach to performance improvement
- Uncover insights and learn how teams analyzed data to identify opportunities and inform strategic decisions
- Recognize how to drive change and see how insights are translated into targeted interventions and initiatives
- Measure impact and discover practical methods for tracking outcomes and refining approaches to maximize effectiveness
Speaker
Andrea Brambilla
Director, Quality & Process Improvement at Meridian Health Plan
Speaker
Jordan Fry
Business Analyst IV, Quality & Process Improvement at Meridian Health Plan
2:10 PM – 3:00 PM
Track A
The Digital Imperative: Embracing ECDS and the Future Digital Quality Measures
- Discover the key components of a strategic roadmap that integrates interoperable technology while addressing evolving policy developments
- Explore the full spectrum of key ECDS reporting solutions, including digital data feeds, value-based care contracting arrangements, NLP, provider portals, and targeted case management solutions
- Prepare for the New ECDS Measures and discuss measure success strategies
- Learn how MY 2026's removal of ECDS numerator and exclusion data source categories (SSoRs) will impact your plan's ECDS reporting strategy and operations
Speaker
Joia Merriweather
HEDIS®/Stars Program Manager at Texas Independence Health Plan
Speaker
Katharine Iskrant
Practice Leader at Healthy People
Speaker
Mary Goble
RN, Director Clinical Quality and Performance Improvement at Capital Health Plan
Speaker
Rhonda Farrar
Clinical HEDIS® Supervisor at Healthy People, Inc.
3:00 PM
3:00 PM – 3:20 PM
Networking Break
3:20 PM
3:20 PM – 4:10 PM
Track A
Operationalizing Digital Quality: Building an Agile Framework for Iteration and Audit Readiness
- Move from compliance to continuous improvement through an iterative DQF process aligns with NCQA Digital Quality and reduces friction between IT, Quality, and Audit teams
- Use documentation as a force multiplier, leveraging standardized documentation to streamline audits, improve transparency, and create reusable artifacts for each measurement year
- Align stakeholders and governance, building cross-functional buy-in from Quality, IT, Compliance, and Clinical Ops for seamless rollout
- Implement continuous data quality monitoring, embedding AI-driven rules that track data drift and integrity over time, ensuring Digital Quality measures remain accurate and audit-ready
Speaker
Bert Rico
CEO at Domlytics
Speaker
Jason W. Foster
Founder and CEO at Seven Hundred Consulting
3:20 PM – 4:10 PM
Track B
Optimizing HEDIS and Medicare Pharmacy Measures: Aligning Data, Interventions, and Outcomes
- Advance your quality strategy with practical tools and data-driven insights
- Take away a comprehensive roadmap for optimizing HEDIS and Medicare Part D pharmacy measures through precise data alignment, robust interventions, and coordinated workflows
- Gain hands-on strategies to close numerator gaps across adherence, overuse, and deprescribing measures; enhance digital data feeds, NDC mapping, and exclusion processes; and address the unique challenges of non-calendar year measures
- Learn how to apply cross-cutting data and interdisciplinary collaboration to elevate clinical performance and deliver measurable improvements in both member outcomes and Star Ratings
Speaker
Joia Merriweather
HEDIS®/Stars Program Manager at Texas Independence Health Plan
Speaker
Katharine Iskrant
Practice Leader at Healthy People
Speaker
Rhonda Farrar
Clinical HEDIS® Supervisor at Healthy People, Inc.
4:10 PM
4:10 PM – 4:15 PM
Transition Break
4:15 PM
4:15 PM – 5:00 PM
Roundtable Discussions
Grab a glass of bubbly and participate in a facilitated roundtable discussion and deep dive with peers on timely topics.
1. AI Governance: Who, what, when, where, and Now
Tina Dueringer, BSN, RN, CCM, PCC, CEO, Principal Advisor, Dueringer Advisors
2. Double Duty or Divide & Conquer? The HEDIS® + Risk Chart Review Debate
Dr. Shannon I. Decker, PhD., MBA, MBA, M.Ed., M.Ed., Founder and CEO, VBC One
3. Working your Small Plan Magic
Katie Martin, VP, Quality Management
Parkland Community Health Plan
4. Must-have Roles and Skills in a New Age of HEDIS®
Melissa Smith, Founder, Senior Advisor, Newton Smith Group
5. Oversample strategy, planning, and predictions
Rhonda Farrar, Clinical HEDIS Supervisor, Healthy People, Inc.
6. ECDS in a VBC World: Strategies for incentivizing providers
Dwight Pattison, Founder & Principal Consultant
QPAdvantage
7. Strategies to Improve Rural Provider and Patient/Member Engagement
Ryan Dodson, Chief Operating Officer/Co-Founder, New Vision Healthcare Solutions
8. Managing HEDIS® Across Multiple Lines of Business
Caroline Robertson, Director of Quality: Value-Based Care, LSU School of Medicine/LSU Healthcare Network
5:00 PM
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Networking Cocktail Reception
Join us for drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and face-to-face networking with peers.
Wednesday - November 05, 2025
7:30 AM
7:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Exhibit Hall Open
7:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Information Desk Open
7:30 AM
7:30 AM – 8:45 AM
Networking Breakfast
8:45 AM
8:45 AM – 9:00 AM
Welcome Remarks
Speaker
Dr. Shannon I. Decker
Founder and CEO at VBC One
9:00 AM
9:00 AM – 9:50 AM
The Business Case for Quality Improvement
- Explore strategies for measuring and demonstrating the ROI of quality initiatives
- Discuss best practices for engaging stakeholders and securing buy-in for quality improvement efforts and consider innovative approaches to overcoming common barriers
- Take back actionable insights and practical tools to advocate for quality improvement programs that can enhance patient care, improve operational efficiency, or boost your organization’s bottom line
Speaker
Leon Lead
Founder at Leon Lead Consulting, LLC
Speaker
Melissa Smith
Founder, Senior Advisor at Newton Smith Group
Speaker
Nick D'Ambra
Independent Quality Improvement Expert
9:50 AM
9:50 AM – 10:20 AM
Networking Break
10:20 AM
10:20 AM – 11:10 AM
ECD$: Transforming Costly Implementation into a Financial Win
- Discover how to transform ECDS implementation from a compliance cost into a strategic investment that maximizes ROI, long-term value, and competitive differentiation
- Explore how ECDS infrastructure investment can generate financial benefits through advanced analytics, improved member stratification for targeted interventions, and clinical insights that reduce medical costs
- Learn practical approaches and a step-by-step playbook to optimize ECDS functionality, strengthen provider engagement, and scale interoperability for lasting impact
Speaker
Cynthia Pawley-Martin
RN, BA, CPHQ, Independent Star Ratings Consultant
Speaker
Dwight Pattison
Founder & Principal Consultant at QPAdvantage
11:10 AM
11:10 AM – 11:15 AM
Transition Break
11:20 AM
11:20 AM – 12:00 PM
Work Groups: HEDIS®, Measure-by-Measure (Round 1)
This interactive session is designed to facilitate constructive dialogue regarding specific HEDIS® measures. Participants will engage in deep, collaborative discussions to identify barriers, share strategies, lessons learned, and best practices, and explore innovative solutions to improve performance on these measures.
Round 1 Measures:
- Readmissions - Facilitator: Stephen P. Winn, CPHQ, Managing Director, Government Programs, Permanente Medicine
- Med Adherence – Facilitator: Leslie Rodriguez, PharmD, Consultant, BCBSAZ Health Choice
- CBP - Facilitator: Adam Simmen, SVP - Growth & Sales - Health Plans, Everlywell
- Transitions of care - Facilitator: Tina Dueringer, BSN, RN, CCM, PCC, CEO, Principal Advisor, Dueringer Advisors
- Depression screening and follow up - Facilitator: Katharine Iskrant, Practice Leader, Healthy People
- Colorectal Cancer - Facilitator: Amy L. Reilly MS,OTR/L, CCM, CPC, Director, Health Plan Quality – HEDIS®, Health Plan Clinical Quality, Highmark Western and Northeastern New York
- KED - Facilitator: Jennifer Beckett, Principal Consultant, Chief Insight Consulting LLC
- Osteoporosis/OMW - Facilitator: Mary Goble, RN, Director Clinical Quality and Performance Improvement, Capital Health Plan
12:00 PM
12:00 PM – 12:10 PM
Transition Break/Lunch (provided)
Grab your lunch and join your colleagues for a second Work Group of your choosing
12:10 PM
12:10 PM – 12:50 PM
Work Groups: HEDIS®, Measure-by-Measure (Round 2)
Round 2 Measures:
- Diabetes – Facilitator: Katie Gries, Manager, Quality Management, Blue Cross of Idaho
- Transitions of Care – Facilitator: Timika Bryant, LPN, CRC, Manager, HEDIS® Performance Measurement, Community Health Plan of Washington
- Retinal Screening - Facilitator: Rhonda Farrar, Clinical HEDIS® Supervisor, Healthy People, Inc.
- Readmissions - Facilitator: Dwight Pattison, Founder & Principal Consultant, QPAdvantage
- CBP - Facilitator: Gerardo Hernandez Diaz, Senior Director, Quality Improvement, Permanente Medicine
- Pharmacy measures – Facilitator: Eric Hammond, VP of Business Intelligence, Helping Hand Health
12:50 PM
12:50 PM – 1:00 PM
Closing Remarks
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