Primary Care and Chronic Illness Final Technical Report - Spring 2019 Cycle 

Primary care has a central role in improving the health of people and populations. Primary care practitioners manage the uniqueness and complexities of each patient. In this setting, the diagnosis and treatment of the patient focuses on the health of the entire patient, not just a single disease. Chronic illnesses are long-lasting or persistent health conditions or diseases that patients and providers must manage on an ongoing basis. The incidence, impact, and cost of chronic disease is increasing in the United States. During this cycle of work, the Primary Care and Chronic Illness Standing Committee evaluated five newly submitted measures and five measures undergoing maintenance review based on NQF’s standard evaluation criteria. This review cycle included measures related to the following key topics: primary open-angle glaucoma, rheumatoid arthritis, hepatitis C virus screenings, proportion of days covered (PDC), and effective communication between practitioners. The Committee endorsed seven measures and did not endorse three measures. The endorsed measures did not receive any appeals.