Quality Data Model 

Current Activity: 

• The Public and Member Comment for the QDM Draft October 2011 was open through November 7. Public commenting closed October 31 and Member commenting closed November 7.
• NQF hosted a webinar on October 19 about the QDM Version 2011.
  More Details | Fact Sheet 

Overview and Impact

The Quality Data Model (QDM) is an “information model” that clearly defines concepts used in quality measures and clinical care and is intended to enable automation of electronic health record (EHR) use. It provides a way to describe clinical concepts in a standardized format so individuals (i.e., providers, researchers, measure developers) monitoring clinical performance and outcomes can clearly and concisely communicate necessary information. The QDM describes information so that EHR and other clinical electronic system vendors can consistently interpret and easily locate the data required.

The QDM provides the potential for more precisely defined, universally adopted electronic quality measures to automate measurement and compare and improve quality using electronic health information. Use of the QDM will enable more standardized, less burdensome quality measurement and reporting and more consistent use and communication of EHRs for direct patient care. In addition to enabling comparisons across performance measures, the QDM can promote delivery of more appropriate, consistent, and evidence-based care through clinical decision support applications.

Status and Public Comment Process

To ensure QDM’s continued value and use, NQF will enhance and update it yearly to meet ever evolving quality measurement needs. A draft version of the QDM will be published in the third quarter of each year and will be open for comment.  A final version of the QDM incorporating suggestions from the comment period and feedback from NQF’s Health IT Advisory Committee (HITAC) and other quality stakeholders will be published in the first quarter of each year.

Contact Information 

For questions or more information, contact Health IT at 202-783-1300 or via email at qdm@qualityforum.org.