HHS should define core concepts for measuring post-acute-care and long-term-care performance as a way to promote common measurement goals across all providers, according to a report from a group of public and private healthcare leaders.

The Measures Application Partnership—a multistakeholder organization that the National Quality Forum established—sent an 80-page report, Coordination Strategy for Post-Acute Care and Long-Term Care Performance Measurement (PDF), about improving post-acute-care coordination at HHS' request.

Another recommendation to the department is to develop and use uniform data sources and health information technology so data are collected once for multiple purposes. The organization also outlined core-measure concepts for post-acute and long-term-care providers to help them identify any gaps in measures that are currently available. The report applies to home health providers, short- and long-term-stay nursing facilities, inpatient rehabilitation facilities and long-term-care hospitals.

“As a generation of baby boomers nearly 75 million strong approaches retirement, it is essential that we prepare for the increased needs to come,” Elizabeth McGlynn, co-chair of the MAP Coordinating Committee, said in a news release. “Better and smarter quality measurement that places the needs of patients and their families at the forefront will help us identify ways to use healthcare resources more effectively and efficiently.”

MAP was developed to provide information to HHS about the selection of performance measures for public reporting and performance-based payment programs.