The federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation has launched a new, $840 million program designed to help clinicians achieve large-scale health transformation.

According to the agency’s news release, its “Transforming Clinical Practices” initiative

…will fund successful applicants who work directly with medical providers to rethink and redesign their practices, moving from systems driven by quantity of care to ones focused on patients’ health outcomes, and coordinated health care systems. These applicants could include group practices, health care systems, medical provider associations and others. This effort will help clinicians develop strategies to share, adapt and further improve the quality of care they provide, while holding down costs.

Stock PhotoThe Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation was created as part of the Affordable Care Act and allocated $10 billion to spend on innovations in the delivery and financing of health care.  It expects to spend $840 million on this program over the next four years in increments of $2-50 million on “practice transformation networks” and “support and alignment networks.”  Hospitals, health systems, and large group practices are eligible to participate.

Letters of intent must be submitted by November 20 and the deadline for applications is January 6.

For further information about the program, see this news release announcing the initiative and go here for the program’s web site and additional program and application information.