More than 200 quality and performance measures used in 21 Medicare programs, including 35 measures used in the electronic health-record incentive payment program, are open to public comment as part of an annual review by a group convened by the National Quality Forum.
A list of the 202 measures under consideration (PDF) this year includes four measures for hospitals and critical-access hospitals and 31 for physicians and other eligible professionals under the Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive payment programs created under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
“MAP brings the public and private sectors to consensus on how quality can be measured effectively and efficiently in federal health programs,” NQF President and CEO Dr. Christine Cassel said. “A key goal for MAP is to streamline the measures used by the federal government so that patients receive the quality care they deserve and providers can focus on how best to improve the care they deliver.”
The NQF's Measure Applications Partnership, established in 2011, comprises 150 industry experts in healthcare quality, including representatives of seven federal agencies. Through a two-month deliberative process, the group tries to “ensure that the federal government receives comprehensive and thoughtful input on performance measures for use across federal health programs.” The public review process for quality measurers was mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
A copy of the measures under consideration is available on the NQF website. Recommendations from the partnership are expected Dec. 23.
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