About Us

Telligen is the Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO) for Colorado, Illinois, Iowa and Oklahoma. The QIN-QIO program helps the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implement key elements of the Department of Health and Human Services’ National Quality Strategy and federal healthcare reform efforts. To achieve national quality goals, the Telligen QIN-QIO works in partnership with patients, providers and practitioners across organizations and care settings.

Our Mission

Telligen’s mission as a QIN-QIO is to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and value of services delivered to people with Medicare through healthcare quality improvement initiatives that:
•  Increase patient safety.
• Make communities healthier.
• Better coordinate post-hospital care.
• Improve healthcare quality.

Leadership
Sue Stefan, Executive Director
Sue Stefan, DNP, MBA, MSN, CPHQ, RN, is the executive director for the Telligen QIN-QIO. With more than 25 years of experience as an executive, consultant and educator leading quality improvement initiatives for large healthcare systems and academic medical centers, Sue provides strategic direction for the Telligen QIN-QIO and represents Telligen in partner and stakeholder collaborations. Sue holds a doctorate in nursing practice from Rush University, master’s degrees in business administration and nursing administration and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Illinois Chicago, and is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality through the National Association for Healthcare Quality.
Tracey Durns, QIN-QIO Senior Program Director
Tracey Durns, MBA, is the Senior Program Director for the Telligen QIN-QIO team, coordinating efforts with providers and communities across the region on data-driven quality improvement initiatives. Tracey oversees the collaboration of the state-wide initiatives as well as regional efforts to increase awareness of the Quality Payment Program. Prior to her role as Senior Program Director, she served as a senior quality improvement facilitator at Telligen with the nursing home care team, where her work included educating facilities on quality measures and facilitating their quality improvement processes. Tracey has over 20 years of experience in long-term care, focusing her work on assisting providers with implementation of culture change and person-centered care. Prior to joining Telligen in 2009, her work included establishing policy and procedures in accordance with state and federal regulatory agencies. Tracey received her MBA from Concordia University; she is a licensed practical nurse; and she is a certified restorative nurse as well as a TeamStepps Master Trainer.
Christine LaRocca, Medical Director

Christine LaRocca, MD, is the medical director for the Telligen QIN-QIO. A fellowship-trained, board-certified geriatrician, she provides strategic direction, clinical oversight and subject-matter expertise for QIN-QIO initiatives in Colorado, Illinois and Iowa. Christine received her medical degree from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and completed an internal medicine residency and geriatrics fellowship at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.
Michael Boyson, MHA

Michael Boyson, MHA, is Senior Manager, Health Management, for the Telligen QIN-QIO contract and is responsible for the chronic disease prevention and self-management initiative. He will be the Program Director for the Telligen CQIC contract upon award. He provides strategic direction, program oversight and subject-matter expertise for QIN-QIO activities in CO, IL, IA and OK represents Telligen in partner and stakeholder collaboration. Prior to joining Telligen in 2013, Michael worked in hospitals, practices, long-term care facilities, healthcare policy and two provider membership organizations. He received is MHA from Loma Linda University and is a certified Health Technology Specialist. Michael is passionate about improving lives in rural communities and vulnerable populations. His hobbies are hiking, snowshoeing and backpacking.

Governing Body

Telligen’s Quality Innovation Network (QIN) governing body plays an integral role in the performance of the work being done for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to improve health and promote quality of care for people with Medicare. The QIN governing body sets overall policy and direction for the QIN within Telligen’s corporate policy structure and retains oversight responsibility for the QIN Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) and QIN National Coordinating Center (NCC) programs.

QIN governing body positions are voluntary and members are not compensated for their time, other than reimbursement for travel expenses to in-person meetings. The governing body can include up to 15 members who may serve up to six years (two terms of three years each) of consecutive service. However, exemptions can be made that can extend membership to up to nine years of consecutive service (or three terms). Membership is evaluated on an ongoing basis to identify any competencies that need to be added to the governing body, which causes the membership to fluctuate. Generally, one to two members are added or replaced each year.

Name Affiliation Term Number Term Start Date
Wendy C. Ager, RN, BSN, LNHA Administrator/Senior Director of Skilled Nursing, Western Home Communities, Iowa 2nd October 2017
Chinyere U. Alu, BS, MPH Division Chief, Patient Safety and Quality, Illinois Department of Public Health 2nd October 2017
Mercedes Bern-Klug, PhD, MSW, F-GSA Professor, Social Work; Director, UI Aging and Longevity Studies Program (online certificate), School of Social Work, University of Iowa 1st May 2020
Dale W. Bratzler, DO, MPH, MACOI, FIDSA Professor, College of Medicine and Public Health; Enterprise Chief Quality Officer – OU Medicine 1st May 2020
Mary Jane Carothers, RN, BA, LNHA, ALMC Vice President, Iowa Health Care Association & Iowa Center for Assisted Living 2nd November 2018
Mike Cook, BSPE Director, Long Term Care Service, Oklahoma State Department of Health 1st May 2020
Patricia Critchfield Beneficiary 2nd January 2018
W. Perry Dickinson, MD Department of Family Medicine University of Colorado 1st May 2020
Cynthia Fiester, RN, BSN Chronic Disease Services, Program Coordinator, Linn County Public Health 1st May 2020
Susan Gardiner Beneficiary 1st May 2020
Debbie Jackson, RN, LNHA VP Educational/Clinical Services, Illinois Health Care Association 1st May 2020
Corie Kaiser, BS, MNAS Director, Oklahoma Office of Rural Health 1st May 2020
John Leon Beneficiary 1st May 2020
Dheeraj Mahajan, MD, MBA, MPH, FACP Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago; Section Chief, Geriatrics, Illinois Masonic Medical Center 1st May 2020
Paul Mulhausen, MD Chief Medical Director, Iowa Total Care 2nd January 2018
Elizabeth S. Mullins, MSW, NHA Division Director, Veterans Community Living Centers 1st May 2020
Karen Orsi, BA Director, Oklahoma Mental Health and Aging Coalition, NorthCare 1st May 2020
Julia Ann Pollock, BA Long-Term Care Ombudsman, State of Iowa 2nd October 2017
Jayla Sanchez-Warren Executive Director, Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) Area Agency on Aging 1st May 2020
Esther Sciammarella, MS Executive Director, Chicago Hispanic Health Coalition 2nd January 2018
David Thomas, MD Beneficiary 1st May 2020
Tara Trujillo, MNM Diabetes & Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment 1st May 2020