Superior Health Quality Alliance

What Superior Health Quality Alliance does

Superior Health Quality Alliance is a private joint venture headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, that operates as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)-designated Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO) for the Great Lakes Region under CMS's 13th Scope of Work. The organization delivers no-cost quality improvement support to Medicare-serving nursing homes, hospitals, outpatient clinics, and community organizations across six states (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin), engaging 126 hospitals in the prior HQIC initiative and reaching more than 4 million Medicare beneficiaries across the 12th Scope of Work (Nov 2019 – Nov 2024). It is governed and resourced by eight member organizations — four state hospital associations (Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin), MetaStar, iMPROve Health, Stratis Health, and Midwest Kidney Network — and additionally partners with Qsource and Quality Insights.

The core product surface centers on a content-and-services stack: Superior Education, an on-demand learning management system with Front Line Forces training modules for direct care staff; the Resource Library of playbooks, toolkits, and action plans; podcasts (Superior HealthCast and Shine a Light on Stigma); the SafeClean infection-prevention training series; and the Award of Excellence recognition program. The Midwest Kidney Network (ESRD Network 11) operates as a sub-brand supporting 504 renal dialysis providers, 19 transplant centers, and 57,042 patients with kidney failure across five states. Distribution combines a self-serve enrollment portal, direct one-to-one technical assistance by QI advisors, virtual learning collaboratives, and a regional advisory body — the Great Lakes Executive Leadership Council, launched May 2026.

The business model is single-source government contracting: 100% of revenue is funded by CMS through multi-year QIN-QIO prime contracts, with all services provided at no cost to participating healthcare providers. The GTM motion is relationship-led, leveraging member-organization trust networks into provider C-suites, state agencies, and professional associations. Reported outcome metrics include 91% of CMS outcome goals achieved during the HQIC contract, nearly 270,000 harms avoided, a 58% improvement in diabetes management, a 21% reduction in hospital readmissions, and a 25% reduction in citations among high-risk nursing homes.

Name

Superior Health Quality Alliance

Legal name

Superior Health Quality Alliance

Website

https://superiorhealthqa.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Superior Health Quality Alliance is a CMS-funded joint venture that delivers no-cost quality improvement support to Medicare-serving nursing homes, hospitals, clinics, and community organizations across the six-state Great Lakes Region under the QIN-QIO program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Quality Improvement Services

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Quality Measurement, Reporting & Benchmarking (HEDIS/Stars/CQM) (HLACAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Post-Acute Care Networks & Care Management Organizations (HLAFAFAN), Hospital Shared Services, GPOs & System Support Organizations (HLAFAAAO)

Keywords

• Quality improvement services
• Healthcare quality consulting
• Medicare quality programs
• Clinical education training
• Patient safety initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. CMS Government Contract Revenue: Superior Health is funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as the Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO) for the Great Lakes Region. Services are provided at no cost to participating healthcare providers, with the organization serving as a prime contractor in CMS's Network of Quality Improvement and Innovation Contractors (NQIIC).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Superior Health Quality Alliance is the CMS-designated Quality Innovation Network–Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO) for the Great Lakes Region, delivering no-cost quality improvement services to nursing homes, hospitals, clinics, and community organizations serving Medicare beneficiaries. Its core offering combines personalized one-to-one technical assistance from quality improvement advisors with an online learning platform (Superior Education), training modules, podcasts, recognition programs, and a resource library focused on patient safety, chronic disease management, behavioral health, and care transitions. The company is funded entirely through CMS contracts and operates as a joint venture of eight member organizations covering six states.

Product overview

Superior Health Quality Alliance is a Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO) serving as a joint venture of eight member organizations. The organization offers a comprehensive portfolio of quality improvement products and services including: Superior Education (learning management platform), Front Line Forces (staff training modules), Superior HealthCast and Shine a Light on Stigma podcasts, SafeClean Series (infection prevention training), Award of Excellence program, and an extensive Resource Library. Services are delivered across four care settings (nursing homes, hospitals, clinics, community care) and focus on four critical clinical areas: Prevention and Chronic Disease Management, Patient Safety, Behavioral Health, and Care Coordination. Additional offerings include the Midwest Kidney Network (ESRD Network 11), the Great Lakes Executive Leadership Council, and various data analytics capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hospital Quality Improvement Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 91% of CMS outcome goals achieved during Hospital Quality Improvement Contractor (HQIC) Initiative
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Great Lakes Executive Leadership CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 May 2026Regional advisory body launched May 2026, bringing together senior leaders from healthcare organizations, public health agencies, and community-based partners across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The ELC provides strategic guidance, shared learning, and regional alignment to improve health outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries and communities.
• QsourcecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 September 2024Strategic partnership announced in September 2024 for the CMS 13th Statement of Work. Qsource, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Tennessee with over 50 years of experience in healthcare quality initiatives, leverages expertise in Quality Improvement and Quality Assurance, patient safety, education, communications, and data analytics in Indiana to complement Superior Health's expertise. The collaboration aims for immediate and sustainable impact for patients and communities. Qsource has touched 16 million Medicare users, supported 21,000 skilled nursing facilities, assisted 64,000 ESRD patients, and fostered over 60,000 community coalitions.
• Quality InsightscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCritical strategic partnership bringing together complementary expertise, relationships, and experience to support Superior Health's quality improvement mission.
• Illinois Health and Hospital AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember organization of the Superior Health joint venture with long track record of success driving achievement of Medicare quality improvement goals as a QIN-QIO.
• MetaStar, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember organization of the Superior Health joint venture providing financial oversight, government contracting, and risk management expertise.
• Michigan Health & Hospital AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember organization of the Superior Health joint venture representing hospitals and health systems in Michigan.
• Midwest Kidney NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember organization of the Superior Health joint venture, serving as ESRD Network 11 covering five states including Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
• Minnesota Hospital AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember organization of the Superior Health joint venture representing hospitals and health systems in Minnesota.
• Stratis HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember organization of the Superior Health joint venture focused on rural health initiatives and leading the organization's rural-focused programs.
• Wisconsin Hospital AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember organization of the Superior Health joint venture representing hospitals and health systems in Wisconsin.
• iMPROve HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember organization of the Superior Health joint venture contributing operational expertise in healthcare quality improvement.
• Telligen Quality Improvement NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer of the Shine a Light on Stigma podcast series, partnering to eliminate stigma and help people with substance use disorders access medical care.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Comagine Health: Independent nonprofit QIN-QIO serving western states with similar quality improvement, patient safety, and population health services. Directly comparable business model and CMS contracting structure.
• Qsource: CMS QIN-QIO serving Indiana under the 13SOW and now partnered with Superior Health. Operates with the same federal-contract, no-cost-to-providers model, focusing on quality improvement and patient safety across the same healthcare settings.
• TMF Health Quality Institute: CMS QIN-QIO contractor serving several south-central states under the 13SOW. Directly comparable QIO operating model focused on quality measurement, hospital quality improvement, and nursing home quality initiatives.
• Quality Insights: Strategic partner of Superior Health and a QIN-QIO serving other CMS regions. Comparable in mission, services (provider education, clinical quality improvement, patient safety), and CMS-funded contract structure.
• Health Services Advisory Group (HSAG): One of the largest CMS QIN-QIO contractors, serving multiple regions under the 13th Scope of Work. Direct competitor for CMS quality improvement contracts with overlapping service portfolio spanning nursing homes, hospitals, and clinics.
• Alliant Health Solutions: CMS QIN-QIO serving southeastern states under the 13SOW. Comparable as a federally contracted quality improvement organization serving nursing homes, hospitals, and community providers in a defined geographic region.
• Telligen: QIN-QIO serving other CMS regions (Region 5 including Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska) and co-producer of Superior Health's Shine a Light on Stigma podcast. Directly comparable as a CMS quality improvement contractor with similar services.
• iMPROve Health: One of Superior Health's eight member organizations and itself a QIO-like entity providing external quality review, utilization management, and quality improvement services. Highly comparable in operating model and capability mix.
• MetaStar, Inc. Another of Superior Health's eight member organizations, providing healthcare quality improvement, external quality review, and consulting services in Wisconsin. Directly comparable in core quality improvement service offerings and CMS contract experience.

Broad incumbents

• Vizient: Large healthcare performance improvement and analytics company serving hospitals and health systems with quality benchmarking, safety, and operational improvement solutions. Broader and more commercial than Superior Health but addresses overlapping buyer needs (hospital quality leadership).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SuperiorHealthQA
• Xx.com/health_superior
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/superior-health-quality-alliance

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Superior Health Quality Alliance