Techniques to alleviate quality measurement burden

Small steps can pay big dividends for your practice and your patients.

Cheerful male doctor at medical office showing examination results on a table and giving consultation to a patient.

Why reducing quality measure burden matters

Documenting and reporting quality measures can take up valuable time. The American Academy of Family Physicians offers practical techniques any family physician can use to reduce quality measurement burden without significant expense or oversight. Simplify your process by improving workflow in four main areas:

Plan ahead

Family physicians working in value-based care systems must manage high-risk patients and help them avoid costly care, while documenting each step.

Schedule adequate time

  • To address the complex medical issues of older or sicker patients, consider longer appointment slots; 30 to 40 minutes, rather than the standard 15 to 20 minutes.

Add quality review to pre-visit plan

  • Different payers and programs require different quality measures, so it’s key to capture the right data for each patient. Planning ahead here lets you focus on care.

Use data efficiently

Make sure you're tracking the right data for your patients. Your electronic health record (EHR) should provide ready access to each patient’s quality metrics.

Capture EHR data in the right place

  • Most EHRs include quality reporting options. Be sure to verify this function is on and producing the reports you need. Don't wait until the end of the reporting period.

FPM: Patient attribution: Why it matters more than ever

Know which patients are attributed to you by each payer and how value-based payment programs affect different segments of your patient population.
Target your care team’s resources most effectively for success.
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Code correctly

Accurate coding is vital to you getting paid. To ensure that you and your team optimize the coding process and your practice is compensated appropriately, start by making sure your documentation always matches the services performed.

Go in-depth with these AAFP resources.

  • Four coding and payment opportunities you might be missing

    Read article

  • Annual wellness visits: How to get physicians and patients on board

    Read article

  • HCC coding, risk adjustment and physician income: What you need to know

    Read article

Consider team-based care

Family medicine practices nationwide have shifted to team-based care because it improves the patient-physician relationship, increases efficiency, and supports physician and employee well-being. Team-based care achieves this by distributing the workload more appropriately and capitalizing on each team member’s strengths to maximize total practice efficiency.

Team-based care: Fact vs. fiction

Three common myths prevent physicians from buying into team-based care:

1. Staff can’t take on additional clinical skills.
2. Patients don’t want staff in the exam room.
3. Staff in the exam room will interfere with the physician-patient relationship.
Get the facts