Recently, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) set new timelines and goals to move more aggressively toward a physician payment system based on the quality of services provided to patients, not the quantity. This announcement provides even more evidence of the historic changes already underway and gaining momentum in our country.

The NCMS Foundation has partnered with the NC Quality Center to develop NCMS CQU (Clinical Quality University), which works with health care teams to arm them with the skills they will need to progress in this new health care environment. CQU sessions consist of a mix of face-to-face learning at the North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS) Center for Leadership in Medicine in Raleigh, NC, as well as webinars and distance coaching. Teams of three will work together to complete a quality-based project to implement in their work place during this year-long educational track.

For more information or to begin the application process, vist www.ncmedsoc.org/cqu. The deadline for CQU applications for the spring session is February 28, 2015.