The AAFP is taking a leadership role in improving the quality of the U.S. health care system by endorsing -- through its work in the Ambulatory care Quality Alliance, or AQA -- a "starter set" of 26 clinical performance measures for ambulatory care.
The 26 measures deal directly with care provided in physician offices. They were gleaned from a set of 49 draft measures released for comment in April by the National Quality Forum, a national standards-setting organization. According to an AAFP statement (PDF file: 3 pages / 25 KB. More about PDFs.) issued May 3, the AQA starter set (PDF file: 3 pages / 42 KB. More about PDFs.) is "intended to provide clinicians, consumers and purchasers with a set of quality indicators that may be utilized for quality improvement, public reporting and pay-for-performance programs."
The AQA was convened in September 2004 by AAFP, the American College of Physicians, America's Health Insurance Plans, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Its mission is to improve health care quality and patient safety by bringing key stakeholders together to agree on a strategy for measuring, reporting and improving performance at the physician level.
"This is an unprecedented effort," said Academy EVP Douglas Henley, M.D. These organizations are collaborating to determine how to improve performance measurement, data collection and reporting in the ambulatory care setting, he said. Why? "Because we care for -- and we care about -- patients."
AAFP, Other Stakeholders Endorse 'Starter Set' of Performance Measures
By Sheri Porter
5/4/2005
The starter set includes preventive measures, such as for cancer screening and vaccinations; measures for chronic conditions, including coronary artery disease, heart failure, diabetes, asthma and depression; measures pertaining to prenatal care; and two efficiency metrics that address the overuse of antibiotics.
According to the AQA statement, the starter set may be incorporated into performance-based payments as early as next year. AQA is urging employers and health plans to utilize the measures.
"Physicians want a standardized set of performance measures," said Henley. He called AQA's accomplishments invaluable. "This collaboration of diverse health care stakeholders will promote quality performance, enhance value for purchasers and consumers, and improve patient outcomes."
According to the AQA statement, the starter set may be incorporated into performance-based payments as early as next year. AQA is urging employers and health plans to utilize the measures.
"Physicians want a standardized set of performance measures," said Henley. He called AQA's accomplishments invaluable. "This collaboration of diverse health care stakeholders will promote quality performance, enhance value for purchasers and consumers, and improve patient outcomes."
