How Cactus Healthcare Resources Transformed Our HEDIS Reporting

I was lucky to work with Cactus Healthcare Resources as a customer and witnessed firsthand the value they provide as a consulting partner. We had a key opportunity come up for our team, implementing Epic’s new HEDIS (Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set) module, a complex project that simplified how we tracked and reported quality measures for our growing number of outpatient clinics.  The project went so well we were able to present on our implementation at Epic’s UGM. 

The Cactus team had already proven their value through several excellent ex-Epic resources supporting our Cogito team. When the opportunity arose to implement HEDIS dashboards that would integrate directly with our clinical documentation and streamline reporting to our partners, we knew they could find us the right people. We were lucky to have contracted with one of their top ex-Epic consultants and were able to ramp up his involvement from part-time to full-time as the opportunity arose. The key was their consultants’ deep understanding of both HEDIS measures and Epic’s technical architecture.

What set our implementation apart was having a consultant who was a former developer at Epic and worked directly on developing and implementing Cogito and ClinDoc systems. This expertise proved crucial as we collaborated with Epic during the solution’s development phase. Our team could speak the technical language of Epic’s developers and understood the development process as well as the quality measurement language of our clinical teams. We implemented sophisticated measure reporting and clinical process improvement for key metrics like:

  • Comprehensive Diabetes Care (CDC)
  • Controlling High Blood Pressure (CBP)
  • Breast Cancer Screening (BCS)
  • Well-Child Visits in the First 30 Months of Life (W30)

One of our biggest challenges was harmonizing reporting requirements across different payer partners, each with its own nuances for measure selection and requirements. Our Cactus consultant helped us coordinate an approach that standardized our documentation while meeting each payer’s unique specifications.

This success led to an invitation to present at Epic’s UGM conference, where we shared our implementation strategy and outcomes. The impact went beyond just reporting efficiency, we were now able to influence outcomes using clinical data married with HEDIS without waiting for the payer reports. We integrated quality measures directly into clinical workflows through:

  • Real-time measure status displays in clinical encounters
  • Detailed drill-down capabilities for quality improvement teams
  • Scorecards for providers and clinics to provide transparency for their compliance
  • A one-stop-shop for reviewing all payers reports and data

What impressed me most about Cactus was their recruitment process. Rather than overwhelming us with resumes, they conducted thorough technical screenings and only presented candidates who truly understood Epic’s technical architecture and development processes. The analyst we brought on through Cactus became an integral part of our team, demonstrating the lasting value of their careful matching process.

The key to our success wasn’t just finding someone with technical skills – it was finding someone who understood the complexities of quality reporting and the language of Epic’s implementation process.  They knew the tools and could translate that knowledge into effective technical solutions. This is where Cactus truly excels. They don’t just fill positions; they understand the unique challenges of healthcare IT and find people who can support your success.

Our experience with Cactus transformed our approach to quality measurement and reporting. We moved from labor-intensive manual processes to automated, real-time quality tracking that directly supports clinical care. This partnership solved our immediate staffing need and helped us build a foundation for sustainable quality improvement.

I can’t recommend Cactus highly enough for organizations considering a similar journey. They understand that successful healthcare IT isn’t just about technical expertise – it’s about finding people who can bridge the gap between technology and healthcare quality improvement. Their ability to identify and support these individuals makes them an invaluable partner in healthcare transformation.

Picture of Robert Henehan

Robert Henehan

Robert Henehan is an ex-Epic healthcare IT analytics and business applications leader.