Muna to be part of HSAG’s ESRD network board

Muna

The top official of the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. was chosen to be part of an advisory group aiming to improving the quality of healthcare services.

CHCC chief executive officer Esther Muna was selected to be part of the board of directors for Health Services Advisory Group’s End Stage Renal Disease Network.

In a letter to Muna, HSAG chief executive officer Mary Ellen Dalton said that Muna was highly recommended to become part of the board.

“You have been highly recommended to be a part of this important board whose work will focus on improving the quality of healthcare for ESRD patients through technical assistance, sharing best practices, and measuring improvement through timely and accurate data collection and analyses,” Dalton said.

“I am truly humbled by this appointment and appreciative to be given this opportunity to participate in a Board that aims to improve the quality of healthcare for ESRD patients,” Muna said.

HSAG was founded in 1979 and has become a multi-state Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO), and External Quality Review Organization (EQRO), along with being an ESRD Network contractor.

It serves approximately 25 percent of the U.S. Medicare population, 45 percent of the Medicaid population, and 19 percent of the dialysis population.

HSAG was awarded four ESRD Network contracts by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid which includes Network 17 where the CNMI belongs along with Guam, Hawaii, American Samoa, and Northern California.

The other three networks under HSAG are Network 7 (Florida), Network 13 (Arkansas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma), and Network 15 (Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming).

Muna will represent Network 17 where only two providers were selected from the said areas.

“As a member of the Board of Directors that represents an ESRD provider, I am serving as a partner in quality improvement for all ESRD patients.  With my experience working in the administration of services to ESRD patients, I will be fully participating in the contribution of our organization’s best practices while learning from all other participants of this board.  Overall, it’s about improving their quality of healthcare and their quality of life,” Muna said.

The recent establishment of a board for HSAG-ESRD Network aligns “in accordance with CMS ESRD contract requirements.”

Muna will meet with the council at least twice a year, with the first one to be held this May.

“Thank you in advance for your willingness to serve ESRD beneficiaries across the nation,” Dalton said, “I look forward to the privilege of working with you.”