Blog

Check this page regularly for new posts from the BMC2 blog. You’ll find success stories from our BMC2 sites as well as staff spotlights, information on BMC2 activities and engagement opportunities, news from BCBSM, and more.

A Farewell to BMC2 Managing Director, Annemarie Forrest

Our managing director, Annemarie Forrest's, last day at BMC2 is June 5th. Annemarie shares, "I have learned so much from you and the excellent work you are doing to improve the quality of cardiovascular care in Michigan.

NEW Health Disparities Dashboard

Last fall, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan charged BMC2 with creating Health Equity Dashboards for each of our registries.

NEW BMC2 PCI Advisory Council

More deeply engaging an advisory council in BMC2 strategic planning will strengthen the organization and benefit all consortium members.

New Consortium-Wide Q4 Calendar

We are piloting a comprehensive calendar that displays BMC2 and MISHC meetings, deadlines, and dates and locations of national and international conferences, all in one place.

BMC2 July Meeting Summaries

The BMC2 VS Annual Coordinator Webinar was held on June 14th from 10 am – 12 pm. Dr. Michael Boros, with Munson Medical Center, presented on Limb Ischemia.

Become a BMC2 Social Media Ambassador

Are you interested in launching and establishing a presence on social media professionally or do you already actively participate on social media in a professional capacity?

Demonstrating the Power of CQIs

A recent analysis of BMC2 and MISHC data compared to national registry data partners revealed a variety of critical-to-quality measures on which Michigan participants excel. 

BMC2-OPEN Collaboration Update

In 2022, OPEN and BMC2 worked with Alosa Health to launch a pilot program of a targeted educational intervention for improving pain management and appropriate opioid prescribing.

Spotlight - Smoking Cessation

November is National Smoking Cessation Month. We are proud to collaborate with you to help your patients quit smoking. 

Site Spotlight - Spectrum Health Lakeland

At 70.9%, Spectrum Health Lakeland’s Q4 2021 performance for P2Y12 Duration Documentation was a little too close to the minimum performance goal requirement of ≥ 70% set by BMC2.

Patient Spotlight - Crystal Mroz

Diagnosed with kidney disease at the age of 8, Crystal Mroz knew she would need health care for the rest of her life. As she grew, she focused on her education and securing a good job.

Peripheral Artery Disease Action Plan Now Available

In December of 2018, a Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) round table was held at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute where representatives from the American Heart Association, along wi

Site Spotlight - Spectrum Health

When BMC2 revealed its new 2022 Pay for Performance (P4P) goal of documentation of 1-year follow-up imaging after EVAR at ≥ 70%, Michele Forist, RN, looked at her site’s data and saw the

May Meeting Summaries

Thanks to all who attended our May meetings. Did you miss a meeting or do you need a refresher? Read our summaries.

Free 1-1 Counseling Offered by Michigan OPEN

To support appropriate prescribing for vascular surgery patients, Michigan OPEN is offering BMC2 vascular surgeons the opportunity to participate in one-on-one counseling sessions.

NEW - Imaging Educational Series

BMC2 seeks to create a library of archived cases to be used for training purposes. Do you have de-identified images to share?

April Meeting Summaries

Thanks to all who attended our April meetings. Did you miss a meeting or do you need a refresher? Read our summaries.

March Meeting Summary

Thanks to all who attended our March meetings. Did you miss a meeting or do you need a refresher? Read our summaries.

Faculty Spotlight - Loay Kabbani

BMC2 is pleased to announce that Dr. Loay Kabbani has joined the Coordinating Center as a strategic advisor for Vascular Surgery. Dr. Kabbani joins PCI strategic advisor, Dr.

February Meeting Summary

Thanks to all who attended our February meetings. Did you miss a meeting or do you need a refresher? Read our summaries.

Welcome - Jeremy Albright

The newest member of the BMC2 Coordinating Center is Jeremy Albright. Jeremy joins Milan Seth as a BMC2 Statistician and focuses primarily on BMC2 VS.

New VBR Goal - Smoking Cessation

We are pleased to announce an additional VBR opportunity in 2022 (paid in 2023) focused on smoking cessation for participation in BMC2 Vascular Surgery.

January Meeting Summary

Thanks to all who attended our January meetings. Did you miss a meeting or do you need a refresher? Read our summaries.

Site Spotlight - Beaumont Dearborn

While no one has quite cracked the code for patient participation in post-event cardiac rehab, the team at Beaumont Hospital, Dearborn, is making headway.

November 2021 Meeting Summary

Thanks to all who attended our November meetings. Did you miss a meeting or do you need a refresher? Read our summaries.

Data from BMC2 Presented at TCT 2021

“Impact of Left Ventricular End-Diastolic Pressure on the Outcomes of Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention” was presented via a poster by Dr.

October Meeting Summary

Thanks to all who attended our October meetings. Did you miss a meeting or do you need a refresher? Read our summaries.

Spotlight - Patient Advisory Council

Lisa Cardillo was just 36 years old when she experienced a spontaneous coronary artery dissection, cardiac arrest, cardiogenic shock, and heart failure.

Faculty Spotlight - Ryan Madder

BMC2 is pleased to announce that Dr. Ryan Madder will be joining the coordinat­ing center as a Strategic Advisor.

September Meeting Summary

Thanks to all who attended our September meetings. Did you miss a meeting or do you need a refresher? Read our summaries.

Staff Spotlight - Pam Benci

Administrative Specialist Intermediate, Pam Benci, was drawn to BMC2 by her interest in learning more about quality improvement in cardiology.

Site Spotlight - Mercy Health Muskegon

Mercy Health Muskegon's Quinten Davis, BSN, RN, along with teammates Brandi Whitaker, BSN, RN, Sammie Cunningham, BSN, RN, and Physician Champion, Justin Eisenberg, DO, has set a goal to increase documentation of smoking c

August Meeting Summary

Thanks to all who attended our August meetings. Did you miss a meeting or do you need a refresher? Read our summaries.

Site Spotlight - McLaren Bay Region

McLaren Bay Region wanted to decrease the number of patients discharged on greater than 10 opioid pills prescribed for opioid naïve EVAR and CEA patients.

BMC2 July Meeting Summaries

Thanks to all who attended our July meetings. Did you miss a meeting or do you need a refresher? Read our summaries.

June Meeting Summary

Thanks to all who attended our June meetings. Did you miss a meeting or do you need a refresher? Read our summaries.

Staff Spotlight - Nate Yost

Nate Yost’s greatest passion in life is expanding his horizons and comfort zones. He tries new things whenever possible and encourages others to do the same.

May Meeting Summary

Thanks to all who attended our May meetings. Did you miss a meeting or do you need a refresher? Read our summaries.

Reducing Post-CEA Hospital Stays Saves Big

The BMC2 VS goal, "Less than 8% of asymptomatic carotid endarterectomy patients NOT discharged by postoperative day 2", results in big cost savings for the healthcare system.

Site Spotlight - Munson Medical Center

While the BMC2 target for contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is less than 3%, in Quarters 1 and 2 of 2017, Munson Medical Center was struggling with rates at 4.5%.

Staff Spotlight - Rebecca Fleckenstein

Rebecca Fleckenstein first started working in Collaborative Quality Initiatives in 2016 and has been a member of the team at BMC2 since August of 2019.

Patient Engagement at BMC2

BMC2 is looking to incorporate the patient voice into BMC2-PCI activities and we need your help!

Join Us on Social Media

Did you know that BMC2 is now on Twitter? Follow us @BMC2_ for site spotlights, news about BMC2 publications, meeting updates, and more.

Site Spotlight - Bronson Methodist Hospital

Bronson Methodist Hospital has been committed to improving their rate of smoking cessation counseling at discharge for years, making it their QI project in 2018, 2019, and 2020, after the 2017 rate was 19

April Meeting Summary

Thanks to all who attended our April meetings. Did you miss a meeting or do you need a refresher? Read our summaries.

Welcome Amy Shirato

Please join the BMC2 Coordinating Center in welcoming Amy Shirato to the team! Amy is our newest Clinical Quality Improvement Lead and will work with Kathleen Frazier to support PCI.

Site Spotlight - Henry Ford Hospital Detroit

In 2019 and 2020, the MI OPEN recommendation for opioid prescribing post carotid endarterectomy (CEA) was 0-10 pills; no prescribing recommendations were outlined for EVAR patients.

Staff Spotlight - John Sly

John Sly was looking for an opportunity to impact change while finding new ways to constantly challenge himself when he found BMC2.

Site Spotlight - Spectrum Health Lakeland

BMC2 updated the 2020 PCI performance goals to include “Peak intra-procedure Activated Clotting Time (ACT) documentation to greater than or equal to 90%”, and “Percent of cases with peak ACT ≥ 350 seconds for Heparin-only

Site Spotlight - McLaren Greater Lansing

Cardiac rehab not only improves patient outcomes, it can offer patients some sense of control over their situation, easing anxiety and increasing hope.

Staff Spotlight - Sheryl Fielding

Sheryl Fielding is BMC2’s Clinical Quality Improvement Leader for Michigan TAVR. Part of the team since 2010, Sheryl works from her 100-year-old house in Downtown Ludington.

Staff Spotlight - Annemarie Forrest

BMC2’s new Program Manager comes to the team with over 15 years of experience in clinical research and academic health care, most recently as Director of Projects at the Clinical Trials Transformation Ini