On February 1, MAP submitted its first annual report on performance measures being considered for use in federal rulemaking. The report is part of MAP's ongoing detailed analysis of measures being considered for use in federal public reporting and performance-based payment programs, and the alignment of such measures with those being used in the private sector. This is the first time the federal government has looked to a public-private collaboration to advise on its selection of measures.
Pre-Rulemaking Advisory Work (PDFs)
Background
The Measure Applications Partnership (MAP) is a public-private partnership convened by the National Quality Forum (NQF). MAP was created for the explicit purpose of providing input to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on the selection of performance measures for public reporting and performance-based payment programs. NQF was selected by HHS to fulfill a provision in the Affordable Care Act requiring a consensus-based entity to convene multi-stakeholder groups to:
- Identify the best available health care performance measures for use in specific applications.
- Provide input to HHS on measures for use in public reporting, performance-based payment, and other programs.
- Encourage alignment of public and private sector efforts.
In convening MAP, NQF will bring together stakeholder groups in a collaboration that balances the interests of consumers, businesses and purchasers, labor, health plans, clinicians and providers, communities and states, and suppliers.
MAP will operate in a thoroughly transparent manner, broadcasting meetings, posting content on the Web, and soliciting and responding to public comments. NQF has already put this principle to work in every aspect of establishing MAP.
Questions about MAP? Please review the MAP FAQs for more details on MAP and its significance.
MAP Activities
The Partnership operates through a two-tiered structure (Figure). Guided by the priorities and goals of the National Quality Strategy, the MAP Coordinating Committee provides direction and direct input to HHS. MAP workgroups advise the Coordinating Committee on measures needed for specific care settings, care providers, and patient populations. Each multi-stakeholder group includes individuals with content expertise and organizations particularly affected by the work.
On October 1, MAP submitted its first set of reports to HHS outlining strategies for more coordinated approaches to making healthcare safer and enhancing clinician performance.
The report, Readmissions and Healthcare-Acquired Conditions Performance Measurement Strategy Across Public and Private Payers, presents a coordination strategy for HHS and the broader field on aligning performance measurement and other approaches for addressing healthcare-acquired conditions and readmissions for all patients, regardless of who ultimately pays for their care.
The report, Coordination Strategy for Clinician Performance Measurement, presents a strategy for HHS on federal clinical performance measurement, with recommendations that would simultaneously accelerate improvement and a more cohesive system of care delivery because clinicians and the largest payer in the country will be focused on a select, targeted set of performance measures linked to achieving overall national aims for improved health and healthcare.
Additionally, MAP submitted its Strategic Approach to Performance Measurement for Dual Eligible Beneficiaries, an interim report outlining multi-stakeholder input on performance measures to assess and improve the quality of care delivered to dual eligibles.
As background to the work of MAP, NQF sponsored a report from RAND, Payment Reform: Analysis of Models and Performance Measurement Implications.
Contact Information
For more information contact Connie Hwang, Vice President, or Allison Ludwig, Project Manager, at 202-783-1300 or measureapplications@qualityforum.org.
