Medicare Quality Improvement Organizations (QIOs) in the states began work last year on the three-year projects aimed at improving readmission rates. These organizations are the Alabama Quality Assurance Foundation, the Louisiana Health Care Review and the Georgia Medical Care Foundation. These QIOs are independent organizations that contract with CMS to improve care. They are examining hospital and community systemwide interventions, interventions that target specific diseases or conditions and interventions that target specific reasons for admission.