CMS Innovation Advisors Program

In the months and years to come, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (Innovation Center) will seek to introduce transformative models of care delivery across the nation that will meet the aim of reducing cost and improving quality for Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP beneficiaries.

The Innovation Advisors Program is designed to support delivery system reform, strengthening the capacity for change by creating a network of experts in improving the delivery system.

Specifically, the Innovation Advisors Program will engage individuals in the health care system to test and refine new models of payment and care delivery. Selected Innovation Advisors will refine, apply, and sustain managerial and technical skills necessary to deepen several key skill sets, including:

• Health care finance;
• Population health;
• Systems analysis; and
• Operations research

After completing this orientation, these individuals will:

• support the Innovation Center in testing new models of care delivery;
• utilize their knowledge and skills in their home organization or area in pursuit of the three-part aim of improving health, improving care, and lowering costs through continuous improvement;
• work with other local organizations or groups in driving delivery system reform;
• harvest new ideas or innovations for possible testing of diffusion by the Innovation Center; and
• build durable skill in system improvement throughout their area or region

The Innovation Advisors Program will identify and train as many as 200 individuals from across the nation in its first year. The first cycle of participation will deepen operations research skills in 50 individuals over six months; the second cycle will orient 150 more to the same skills.

The first group of Innovation Advisors would start their six-month intensive orientation and applied research period in December 2011.

Individuals who apply to be Innovation Advisors can be any professional employed by public health or health care facility, institution, or department. Candidates include, but are not limited to, physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, instructors, and non-clinicians (i.e., health care executives, practice managers) with experience in the health care field and a desire to participate in a valuable hands-on learning experience. Management or leadership experience will be viewed as an asset.

The deadline to submit applications is November 15, 2011. Applications for the Innovation Advisors Program can be accessed at http://orise.orau.gov/IAP/.