Kristi Mitchell specializes in the use of clinical data for strategic decision-making across multiple industries, including life sciences, health plans, and professional societies.
In this capacity, she provides strategic guidance for innovative collection and utilization of data and oversees the diffusion of best practice in quality measurement development, implementation, and evaluation across multiples industries.
Prior to joining Avalere, Kristi worked at the American College of Cardiology (ACC), leading the development of the National Cardiovascular Data Registry, most recently as the chief science officer. Prior to the ACC, she assessed the impact of public health policies, programs, and practices on health outcomes at Battelle Centers for Public Health Policy and Evaluation and at the Institute for Health Policy Studies at the University of California, San Francisco.
Kristi has an MPH in public health policy administration and epidemiology from the University of Michigan and an AB in human biology and public policy from Brown University. She sits on the Food & Drug Administration MDEpiNet Interim Advisory Committee and the Pew Trust Future of Medical Device Registry Stakeholder Group.
Authored Content
Tune into another episode in the Avalere Health Essential Voice podcast series focused on disease education. In this segment, our experts from the Center for Healthcare Transformation discuss Huntington’s Disease, its impact on caregivers, the complexities of genetic testing, and potential treatment options for this rare disorder.
Tune into another episode in the Avalere Health Essential Voice podcast series focused on disease education. In this segment, our experts from the Center for Healthcare Transformation discuss Huntington’s Disease, its impact on caregivers, the complexities of genetic testing, and potential treatment options for this rare disorder.
As one of the most common chronic conditions in the US—affecting approximately 10.5% of the US population and growing—diabetes (and the optimal management of this condition) remain a persistent healthcare challenge.1
COVID-related concerns influenced shifts in utilization and changes to the delivery of major pregnancy-related services. The expanded use of telemedicine in the maternal care continuum increasingly provided expectant patients with access to healthcare services while adhering to social-distancing guidelines.
Avalere was pleased to partner with the nutrition community to develop and test the Global Malnutrition Composite Score, which has now received conditional support from the Measure Applications Partnership (MAP)—pending endorsement by the National Quality Forum (NQF)—for inclusion in the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) Program.
Join leading experts from Avalere Health and Tivity Health to learn more about new analyses detailing seniors’ lived experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic, including recent survey data on the vaccine rollout nationwide.
Avalere Health and Sick Cells have published a strategic roadmap, intended to advance care for individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD). The roadmap includes consensus-based solutions that various healthcare stakeholders can implement in the near future.
On December 14, 2020, an intensive care unit nurse in New York was the first American to receive an injection of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Internet of Things (IoT) is a catch-all term that refers to any device that can connect to a network (including the Internet) and communicate with other devices.
The accelerated changes and increased uncertainties in healthcare brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic will continue into 2021, and its impacts are likely to shape healthcare for years to come. While prevalent uncertainty is a given, the broad outline of a new era is already emerging. More than ever, careful examination of healthcare stakeholder’s business models, policy developments, and data will be essential to arrive at accurate assessments of the future state. Our experts engaged in a live discussion covering critical issues facing healthcare leaders and strategies for clearing the path.
Women of color are disproportionately affected by pregnancy-related death in the US, which has a higher maternal mortality rate than 10 other developed nations worldwide.
In response to the COVID-19 public health emergency and recent social events highlighting systemic inequities, life sciences companies have issued bold statements reaffirming their commitment to diversity, inclusion, and health equity.
The accelerated changes and increased uncertainties in healthcare brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic will continue into 2021, and its impacts are likely to shape healthcare for years to come. While prevalent uncertainty is a given, the broad outline of a new era is already emerging. More than ever, careful examination of healthcare stakeholder’s business models, policy developments, and data will be essential to arrive at accurate assessments of the future state. Our experts engaged in a live discussion covering critical issues facing healthcare leaders and strategies for clearing the path.
For even deeper coverage, download the 2021 Healthcare Industry Outlook document below.
For even deeper coverage, download the 2021 Healthcare Industry Outlook document below.
Mitigating the public health emergency (PHE) caused by SARS-CoV-2 requires a multifaceted approach.
As businesses across the country begin to reopen, navigating the COVID-19 pandemic will continually require employers to be resilient, flexible, innovative, and forward looking when it comes to returning employees safely to work sites. Among the myriad of concerns and considerations, organizational leadership will need tools that assist decision making and ensure compliance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance.
Registries have played an important role in furthering our understanding of the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and have specifically proven valuable in the identification and management of pandemic diseases.
Avalere’s issue brief highlights real-world examples of how cost of care can be woven into physician-patient conversations and how it can improve dialogues.
Citing alarming statistics that nearly 1 of every 2 older Americans is at risk of malnutrition and that disease-associated malnutrition in older adults is estimated to cost nearly $53 billion annually, a broad group of advocates has presented a updated roadmap for a continuing national effort to help millions of Americans who suffer from malnutrition or could be at risk as they age. The expected rising incidence of malnutrition amidst the current COVID-19 pandemic makes it even more critical to advance solutions across all points of care.
As of 2018, almost 70% of hospitals in the United States are not-for-profit entities according to the American Hospital Association (AHA).
On March 25, the British Medical Journal Open Quality published an article, “Impact of an Interdisciplinary Malnutrition Quality Improvement Project at a Large Metropolitan Hospital,” co-authored by Kelsey Jones and Kristi Mitchell.
The growing prevalence and disparities in chronic diseases necessitate that health plans address food insecurity to improve patient outcomes. The combination of increasing need for access to healthy food and changes in the health policy and insurance landscape create opportunities to address food insecurity through a variety of payers.
Avalere published an abstract in the online Journal of National Comprehensive Cancer Network (JNCCN).
As the shape and scope of America’s learning health system evolves, Avalere partners with industry leaders, engaging multiple stakeholders to formulate patient registry strategies that develop, evaluate, and utilize registry data – and help improve care in real time.
New analysis from Avalere finds that more accountable care organizations (ACOs) participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) have assumed downside risk as the program matures, with the greatest growth over the past 3 years.
Avalere’s “Preparation for Shared Decision-Making” (PFSDM) tool aims to help patients with advanced breast cancer (ABC) feel prepared to communicate with their clinicians and engage in decision making aligned with their preferences. The validation study confirms the acceptability and usability of the tool for women with ABC.
Avalere used a human-centered design approach to adapt a patient-centered tool to help patients prepare to make treatment decisions with their clinicians.
Avalere Health and the Endocrine Society launch hypoglycemia clinical tools.
Various national and local health policies aim to address food insecurity through both healthcare and community-based programs.
With increasing legislative and regulatory activity promoting adoption of digital health, interest has continued to expand in 2019.
The National Academies issued a report identifying several key factors and recommendations for integrating social care into healthcare delivery.
While emerging blockchain technology is expected to impact a range of businesses in the years ahead, its strengths seem particularly well suited for the complex data-sharing demands of the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries.
A wide variety of health plans, provider networks, and national corporations have recently developed and announced innovations and strategies to expand access to healthcare and to address needs that promote health across communities.
CMMI’s impact on Medicare spending has so far not reached earlier projections by the Congressional Budget Office, demonstrating the difficulty in projecting savings from new and unknown alternative payment models.
Avalere’s efforts to advance the national Malnutrition Quality Improvement Initiative featured in newly published supplement of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Avalere collaborates with the Endocrine Society and Pottstown Medical Specialists to launch a quality improvement intervention study aimed at addressing care gaps in the identification and management of hypoglycemia in older adults with type 2 diabetes.
To achieve the goals of value-based care, the patient voice must be incorporated into clinical decision-making by embedding shared decision-making (SDM) as a routine part of clinical practice.
Paper details recent developments in leading value frameworks, including Avalere’s Focus on Patient Orientation in Value Assessment.
Avalere published a white paper outlining global recommendations to increase the patient centricity of value assessment framework methodology and application.
In 2018, Avalere partnered with CancerCare and Gabrielle Rocque, an oncologist at the University of Alabama Birmingham School of Medicine, to develop the Preparation for Shared Decision Making (PFSDM) tool.
A supplement to Annals was just published that includes research on how to help physicians talk with their patients about costs of care, including a commentary co-authored with Avalere.
Avalere experts hosted a lively discussion on current trends in digital health and the key steps necessary for stakeholders across the industry to successfully implement digital health initiatives.
Christie Teigland, PhD, has been invited to serve on the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) Executive Research Advisory Council (ERAC).
Today continues a steady diet of healthcare cost hearings with committees on both sides of Capitol Hill digging into the issue.
Avalere experts hosted a lively discussion on the 2019 outlook for the medical device industry.
Partnerships between traditional healthcare players and big technology companies seek to improve care delivery and patient outcomes in innovative ways.
ACO Experience Again Proves to Be an Indicator of Success
In February, Avalere is releasing a 4-part podcast series that focuses on how clinicians and other care team members can improve the quality and frequency of cost-of-care conversations with patients.
On January 10, Avalere experts examined the top healthcare priorities to watch in 2019.
As part of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Cost Conversation projects, Avalere led the development of a set of practice briefs that provide actionable resources to healthcare providers about how to improve the value and frequency of cost conversations with patients.
Over the past several years, Avalere has collaborated with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to establish and support the Malnutrition Quality Improvement Initiative (MQii).
Despite recognition that providers should implement shared decision making (SDM) as standard practice, integration of SDM into regular care delivery remains elusive.
Although malnutrition can lead to greater risk of chronic disease, frailty, and disability, and increases healthcare costs, patients’ nutrition status is rarely evaluated and managed as they transition across care settings.
Avalere used a human-centered design approach structured around patient preferences to help guide advanced breast cancer patients.
On April 24, 2018, Avalere experts were joined by Aledade CEO, Farzad Mostashari, MD, to discuss the latest developments coming out of the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI).
The number of CMS-approved Qualified Clinical Data Registries grew by 40% in 2018, allowing specialties to have more opportunities to report on meaningful quality measures.
In this short video, Kristi Mitchell, Senior Vice President, discusses strategies to improve patient outcomes and excel in a value-based care environment.
Evidence suggests that shared decision-making can play a role in advancing a value-based care delivery system.
Avalere experts discuss the need for unique stakeholder collaborations to facilitate success in the transition to a value-based care system.
Blog post features key learnings from the Patient-Perspective Value Framework.
Today, Avalere and FasterCures published Version 1.0 of the Patient-Perspective Value Framework (PPVF).
This week, FasterCures provided Avalere with a second round of seed funding to test, refine, and validate the PPVF.
Citing alarming statistics that show that nearly 1 of every 2 older Americans is at risk of malnutrition and that disease-associated malnutrition in older adults is estimated to cost $51.3 billion annually, a broad group of advocates laid out a roadmap for a new national effort to help millions of Americans who suffer from malnutrition or could be at risk as they grow older.
On January 18, 2017, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the new Accountable Care Organization (ACO) participants in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) for 2017.
Today, the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) released an updated version of its Value Assessment Framework.
In June 2016, Avalere in collaboration with the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Cancer Support Community, Community Oncology Alliance, and Patient Advocate Foundation, and with support from Bristol-Myers Squibb, brought together a variety of healthcare stakeholders in a national Dialogue to discuss challenges and opportunities surrounding the advancement of quality in cancer care.
Avalere and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Launch Eight Grants to Improve Cost-of-Care Conversations Between Patients and Clinicians.
Earlier this year, Avalere led a work group of rheumatology, orthopedic surgery, psychiatry, sports medicine, and primary care clinicians to develop appropriate use criteria for the use of hyaluronic acid (HA) in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA).
In the final episode of our podcast series for Malnutrition Awareness Week™, Avalere's Kristi Mitchell is joined by Bob Blancato to talk about the growing crisis of malnutrition care and its impact on older adults. Bob is the president of Matz, Blancato, and Associates, the national coordinator of the bipartisan 3000-member Elder Justice Coalition, and the executive director of the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs.
Avalere's Angel Valladares is joined by Dr. Ken Nepple in episode 4 of our maltnutrition podcast series discussing the implementation of eMeasures. Dr. Nepple is an associate professor in the Department of Urology at the University of Iowa Health System with great professional interest in nutrition care. He has led the MQii project at his facility as a measure testing site and participated in the hospital learning collaborative piloting the standardized toolkit.
New quality measures to address malnutrition among hospitalized older adults are now being evaluated by the National Quality Forum (NQF) for endorsement, and by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for inclusion in their Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program.
In epidode 3 of our malnutrition podcast series, Avalere's Kelsey Jones is joined Dr. Karim Godamunne, Chief Medical Officer, North Fulton Hospital and member of the MQii Advisory Committee, sharing why a multi-disciplinary approach, high-quality measures, good data, and patient engagement are all needed to advance malnutrition care.
In episode 2 of our podcast series for Malnutrition Awareness WeekTM, Avalere's Michelle Bruno and Dr. Heidi Silver, research associate professor of medicine and director of the Vanderbilt Diet, Body Composition, and Human Metabolism CORE, discuss implementing a new MQii Toolkit across hospital departments at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The MQii Toolkit provides practical, interdisciplinary tools and resources to help hospitals implement malnutrition best practices across all aspect of malnutrition care (e.g., screening, assessment, diagnosis, discharge planning).
For Malnutrition Awareness WeekTM, Avalere will be releasing a series of podcasts focused on new tools developed by the Malnutrition Quality Improvement Initiative (MQii)—a collaboration of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Avalere Health, and other organizations dedicated to improving nutrition care. Listen to episode 1 featuring Dr. Alison Steiber, chief science officer at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and Dr. Beverly Hernandez, the director of clinical nutrition at Tampa General Hospital.
Avalere recently analyzed the quality measure landscape for rheumatoid arthritis.
Avalere recently analyzed the quality measure landscape for schizophrenia.
Avalere Health has developed a set of malnutrition quality measures in collaboration with the Academy of Malnutrition and Dietetics. Embarking on a journey to improve care to malnourished patients, the collaboration spurred formal multi-stakeholder dialogues to be conducted.
While Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act or MACRA seeks to stabilize Medicare and assure physicians a predictable stream of revenue given a schedule of expected physician payment updates, how can providers leverage MACRA to improve quality of care? Listen in as Kristi Mitchell suggests how providers can use MACRA as a springboard to develop and implement relevant quality measures to close the current measurement gaps across disease conditions and care settings.
Despite evidence demonstrating the benefits of optimal nutrition for healing and recovery, practice variation continues in hospitals for nutrition screening, assessment, diagnosis, and overall treatment and management of malnourished adults ages 65 and older. In response, Avalere launched the Malnutrition Quality Improvement Initiative (MQII) to support the delivery of high-quality care for older adults. The MQII not only aims to support the use of timely best practices for malnutrition care in the hospital setting but may also reduce costs associated with poor patient outcomes.
A new white paper from Avalere finds wide variation in how organizations develop and use clinical pathways (CPs)-multidisciplinary plans that provide specific guidance on the sequencing of care steps and the timeline of interventions. While CPs have the potential to improve quality and reduce cost, their growing use prompts a range of questions and concerns from patient advocates and healthcare providers. Specifically, Avalere's new work examines the lifecycle of a CP and explores the potential implications of growing use of these tools for payers, providers, and patients.
A new Avalere assessment of the quality measures landscape shows that many important medical conditions are not fully represented in Medicare pay-for-quality programs, which limits Medicare's ability to pay for value.
Need to Know: On June 10, Friends of Cancer Research held a public meeting to discuss how sponsors and FDA may be able to expedite rate-limiting steps in Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC) and current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) for breakthrough therapy designated products, while ensuring an adequate supply of safe and efficacious product at the time of approval.
Cancer is a burden to patients and the healthcare system. Last year, an estimated 1.6 million new cancer cases were diagnosed in the U.S and the latest figures estimate that 13.4 million people, about 4 percent of the U.S. population, live with cancer in the U.S.1
Achieving a vision of patient-centered healthcare requires multi-stakeholder collaboration each step of the way. As national attention on the use of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) grows, significant progress needs to be made to ensure that they are fairly used for accountability purposes in the context of performance-based payment models.
By the end of 2016, HHS plans to make 30% of fee-for-service payments through alternative payment models, such as accountable care organizations and bundled payments, and tie 85% of all fee-for-service payments to quality or value. This places increasing urgency on healthcare organizations to make a fundamental shift in their approach to care delivery.
Avalere Health led the Pharmacy Quality Alliance's February 2015 Quality Forum Lecture entitled: A Look Ahead at 2015.
Avalere published an article this week on ASCO's plan to launch CancerLinQ™.
Despite its notable negative impact on patient outcomes and costs of care, malnutrition is an area that has largely remained unaddressed by national programs and initiatives.
Listen to Avalere's Debbie Lucas explain the complex world of quality measurement.
Listen to Debbie Lucas discuss how quality measurement can lead to improvements in the quality of care and the impact on providers.
The use of quality and performance measures in public reporting, value-based purchasing, and alternative payment models is altering clinical practice by providing incentives to improve quality measures performance and provide high-value care. Debbie Lucas helps many stakeholders seek to understand these measures, assess their business impacts, and use the information to guide decision-making.
Avalere’s experts will be presenting several posters at AcademyHealth’s Annual Research Meeting in San Diego.
Malnutrition is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, especially among the elderly.
The Joint Commission and the American Medical Association (AMA) Convened Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement® released a report on July 8, which was previously under an embargo, focusing on the overuse of tests, treatments, or procedures that provide zero to negligible benefit and expose patients to risk of harm.
To drive down costs, focusing exclusively on managing chronic illness misses the boat.