The Board recently approved a task force that would review and recommend options for defining and achieving consensus within NQF’s consensus development process.
The Task Force will not be constrained within the current consensus development process, but rather, will explore different approaches for establishing consensus. The charge to the Consensus Task Force is to:
- Review different approaches to establishing consensus;
- Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the current process; and
- Recommend enhancements to the current process.
The Task Force will seek input from NQF members on their concerns with the current process and defining consensus and suggestions for improvement, convening focus groups comprised of various stakeholders representing all 8 NQF Member Councils. The Task Force will also review different approaches to establishing consensus utilized by other consensus standard setting organizations. The Task Force will meet in November and provide preliminary recommendations to the NQF Board at the November in-person meeting. A draft report will be published for public and member commenting, and it is anticipated that final recommendations will be made to the NQF Board in March 2013.
FOCUS GROUPS
OCTOBER 29, 2012 - NOVEMBER 2, 2012
The Task Force sought input from the NQF membership on the current Consensus Development Process by holding focus group sessions in Washington, DC and Chicago, IL.
Compilation of Focus Group Comments (PDF)
TASK FORCE IN-PERSON MEETING
NOVEMBER 13, 2012 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD
NOVEMBER 29, 2012
Consensus Task Force Preliminary Recommendations from the November 13th Meeting
TASK FORCE IN-PERSON MEETING #2
FEBRUARY 19 - 20, 2013
TASK FORCE CONFERENCE CALL
MARCH 13, 2013 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Agenda and Dial-in Information (PDF)
TASK FORCE CONFERENCE CALL
APRIL 4, 2013 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
TASK FORCE CONFERENCE CALL
MAY 8, 2013 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
The Consensus Task Force will meet via conference call on May 8 from 5:00pm - 6:00pm ET.
Agenda and Dial-in Information (PDF)
NEXT STEPS
APRIL 1, 2013
Given the input from the Consensus Task Force and the Consensus Standards Approval Committee, NQF staff is currently developing targeted priority projects designed to implement process redesigns, within the current CDP, related to efficiency with small tests of change to demonstrate effectiveness of process changes (e.g., single flow processing, standing steering committees, technical review/blinded peer review). In addition the Consensus Task Force has asked NQF to proceed with incremental efforts to achieve consensus with small test of change to demonstrate effectiveness of process changes (e.g., use of voting threshold and quorum).
The Task Force would then take up discussions about a new CDP proposal on the consensus process.
