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NQF Issue Brief, “Local Coalitions Identified as Platform for National Quality Reporting Effort.” NQF is pleased to release the first issue of a new publication series that will provide insight into payer, policy and industry efforts to promote quality healthcare. NQF’s Issue Briefs will profile new and important developments in the quality environment, focusing on public reporting, new approaches to payment and use of information technology to drive quality improvements. This Issue Brief provides an overview of the new Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) pilot project that relies on local coalitions for physician performance measurement and reporting and the planned national expansion of this model under Secretary Leavitt’s “Value-Driven Health Initiative.” We welcome your feedback and suggestions about this new publication. Access the issue brief.
Navigating Quality Newsletter. NQF is pleased to release the first issue of its Navigating Quality Newsletter on new developments among payers, policy makers, and industry to promote quality healthcare. News items focus on three key drivers of change: public reporting; payment strategies, and information technology. We welcome your feedback and suggestions about this new publication to make it a useful resource for members to keep up with the fast-moving quality landscape. Access the newsletter.
Voting Review Of Evidence-Based Practices To Treat Substance Use Conditions. On March 28, 2007, NQF Member primary contacts were sent a voting draft report titled National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Treatment of Substance Use Conditions. This draft document, containing transmittal memo, ballot, the report with a table of practice specifications, commentary, and references, is available for review and member voting. NQF must receive all member ballots by April 27, 2007. Access a PDF of the Transmittal Memo and Draft Report and Sample Ballot. Access member and public comments here. Access Member and Public Comment Table and Actions Taken.
Ambulatory Care Steering Committee Conference Call, January 3, 2007. A conference call is scheduled for Wednesday, January 3, 2007, from 1-3pm, EST. The Committee will consider the Technical Advisory Panels’ recommendations for 16 new specialty clinician measures in the areas of eye care, osteoporosis, and skin conditions, and make recommendations to the NQF membership as part of the new “National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Ambulatory Care: Specialty Clinician Performance Measures.” All NQF Members are invited to listen to the discussion; specific Member comment periods will be part of the agenda. Participants must register to participate by December 29, 2006. Dial-in information and the agenda will be forwarded to registrants on January 2, 2007.
Member Comments on Improving NQF's Consensus Development Process. The NQF is looking to identify possible solutions to enhancing the efficiency, effectiveness, and timeliness of the Consensus Development Process (CDP). Recently, NQF solicited member comments on an interim report, which proposed changes to the CDP.
- Transmittal Memo
- Interim Report
- Report Presentation
- Member Comments
Pre-voting review for National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Ambulatory Care: Cycle 2. On September 8, 2006, NQF Member primary contacts were sent the draft report, "National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Ambulatory Care: Cycle 2." The report recommends consensus standards in 5 of the 10 ambulatory care priority areas: bone and joint disease; diabetes; heart disease; mental health and substance use disorders; and prenatal care. The draft document, along with accompanying material, is provided for purposes of review and comment only—not voting. Written comments from NQF Members must arrive at NQF offices no later than 6:00 pm EDT, October 13, 2006; comments from non-Members are due at 6:00 pm EDT, October 6, 2006. Access the report and specifications.
National Quality Healthcare Award
The application period has opened for the 2007 National Quality Healthcare Award which will recognize organizations that are proactive in their response to the national call for quality improvement and accountability and provide exemplary models for successful use of performance measurement to drive quality improvement, fostering a culture of transparency and accountability to patients and the local community, and raising the bar of health system performance to achieve safe, timely, effective, patient-centered, equitable and efficient care for individual patients and populations. We welcome your feedback regarding this new initiative.
Following NQF's Spring Membership Meetings in Miami, Florida, NQF Members were sent via e-mail this letter from Janet M. Corrigan, PhD, MBA, President and Chief Executive Officer, with an update on where the organization stands and where it is going.
Visit the Members Only "Publications" section for materials not on the public web site.
Endorsement of 114 National Voluntary Consensus Standards
On November 15, 2007, the NQF Board of Directors endorsed 79 measures from four NQF projects as National Voluntary Consensus Standards. In addition, a national set of “disparities-sensitive” consensus standards for ambulatory care, consisting of 35 practitioner and group-level performance measures in 8 priority areas was also endorsed. Following NQF membership voting on these standards, the Consensus Standards Approval Committee (CSAC) recommended endorsement of these measures at its meeting on November 7. Access the complete list of standards.
Any party may request reconsideration of the recommendations, in whole or in part, by notifying NQF in writing (601 13th Street, NW, Suite 500 North, Washington, DC, 20005; fax 202-783-3434) no later than Thursday, December 6, 2007, 6:00 pm, ET. For an appeal to be considered, the notification letter must include information clearly demonstrating that the appellant has interests that are directly and materially affected by the NQF-endorsed recommendations and that the NQF decision has had (or will have) an adverse effect on those interests.
Request for Comments: Measurement Framework: Evaluating Efficiency across Episodes of Care, 2007
2007 John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Award Recipients Announced
Navigating Quality: November/December 2007
Call for Practices for Patient Safety and Communication in Laboratory Medicine Extended.
The deadlines for the Call for Nominations and Call for Practices for the Laboratory Medicine Practices project have both been extended to 6:00PM ET on Friday, October 26, 2007. See project page to access the updated calls for Nominations and Practices.
NQF Issue Brief: Responding to the Call for Efficiency
Navigating Quality: May/June Edition
Call for Steering Committee Nominations: National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Emergency Care
Notice of Intent to Review Measures of Hospital-Based Emergency Care and an Accompanying Call for Emergency Department Transfer Measures
NQF Issue Brief: The Promise of Personal Health Records for Quality Improvement
NQF Issue Brief: Strengthening Pediatric Quality Measurement and Reporting
Navigating Quality Newsletter March-April
Navigating Quality Newsletter March-April
Pre-voting review of Ambulatory and Hospital Care: Specialty Clinician Performance Measures ADDENDUM
On April 17, 2007, NQF Member primary contacts were emailed a draft report titled National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Ambulatory and Hospital Care: Specialty Clinician Performance Measures ADDENDUM for review and comment. NQF is piloting a program that facilitates electronic submission of comments on this draft report. Access the draft report and provide comments online. This draft document is available for review and comment only, not for voting. NQF must receive all member comments by May 16, 2007; public comments are due by May 7, 2007.
Voting Period Opens on "Ambulatory and Hospital Care: Specialty Clinician Performance Measures".
On April 4, 2007, NQF Member primary contacts were sent a voting draft report titled National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Ambulatory and Hospital Care: Specialty Clinician Performance Measures. NQF must receive hard copy ballots by May 7, 2007 at 12 pm, noon. The full voting package of materials, including the transmittal memo, sample ballot, the proposed final report (redlined) with the proposed voluntary consensus standards, measure specifications in appendixes A and B, commentary and references are posted online for review at http://www.qualityforum.org/projects/ongoing/ambulatory/voting-materials-archive.asp .
Member primary contacts were also provided with information on accessing an online balloting system that is being piloted for this voting period. NQF is requesting that Member organizations submit their ballots both electronically and through the standard paper method in order to assist us in transitioning to the electronic balloting system. As NQF is piloting electronic balloting, only votes submitted through the usual paper ballot will be officially counted towards voting results.
Pre-voting review of National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Ambulatory Care: Patient Experience With Care
On March 29, 2007, NQF Member primary contacts were emailed a draft report titled National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Ambulatory Care: Patient Experience With Care for review and comment. NQF is piloting a program that facilitates electronic submission of comments on this draft report. Access the draft report and provide comments online. This draft document is available for review and comment only, not for voting. NQF must receive all member comments by April 27, 2007; public comments are due by April 17, 2007.
National Voluntary Consensus Standards for End Stage Renal Disease Care: Call for Measures and Nominations for Steering Committee and Technical Advisory Panel
The Social Security Act was amended in 1972 to extend Medicare coverage to patients with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) who require dialysis or kidney transplantation to survive. As of December 31, 2004, there were 320,404 patients receiving dialysis therapy in the United States. In January 2001, CMS launched the Dialysis Facility Compare public reporting tool at www.medicare.gov to provide information on nine facility characteristics and three quality measures for more than 3,500 U.S. dialysis facilities. The NQF’s ESRD project is funded under a contract from CMS. The project seeks to identify and endorse measures for public accountability and quality improvement related to ESRD care at both the facility and physician levels.
The submission deadline for measures and nominations is April 11, 2007 by 6:00 pm Eastern Time. Access the Call for Measures, measure submission form and requirements, Intellectual Property Agreement, the Call for Nominations, and nomination form.
Pre-voting review of Ambulatory and Hospital Care: Specialty Clinician Performance Measures
On February 20, 2007, NQF Member primary contacts were sent a draft report titled National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Ambulatory and Hospital Care: Specialty Clinician Performance Measures. This draft document contains a transmittal memo, the report with tables of measure specifications, commentary, and references. It is available for review and comment only, not for voting. NQF must receive all member comments by March 23, 2007; public comments are due by March 15, 2007. Access the Draft Report and Appendix A (ambulatory specifications) and Appendix B (hospital specifications). Additional information about the measure evaluation and recommendation process is available here.
Access NQF Member and public comments received here.
Call for Nominations for the NQF Board of Directors
The NQF is pleased to announce a call for nominations for its Board of Directors. Desirable candidates are persons who: (1) are recognized leaders in the healthcare sector; (2) have demonstrated expertise and experience in healthcare quality measurement and management; and (3) are willing to serve, if appointed, and willing to commit the necessary time, energy, and effort to participating in NQF activities. Under the provisions of the NQF restructuring plan for which the Board of Directors has granted preliminary approval, Directors will serve as individuals, and not stakeholder representatives. Nominations must be submitted using the Board of Directors nomination form by 6:00pm EST on Sunday, March 4, 2007 [i.e., nominations should be in-house at NQF by Monday, March 5 and/or postmarked by no later than Saturday, March 3]. Access the call for nominations and nomination form.
Call for Nominations for the NQF Consensus Standards Approval Committee
The NQF is pleased to announce a call for nominations for a Consensus Standards Approval Committee (CSAC). The Board of Directors has granted preliminary approval of an NQF restructuring plan, which provides for the establishment of the CSAC, which will be responsible for reviewing and approving proposed consensus standards, and periodically assessing and making recommendations to enhance NQF’s consensus development process. The CSAC will include individuals with knowledge and expertise in public accountability, value-based purchasing, clinical practice, healthcare technology, quality measurement and reporting, and measure development and research. All nominations must be submitted using the CSAC nomination form by 6:00pm EST on Sunday, March 4, 2007 [i.e., nominations should be in-house at NQF by Monday, March 5 and/or postmarked by no later than Saturday, March 3]. Access the call for nominations and nomination form.
Pre-voting review of Evidence-Based Practices to Treat Substance Use Conditions
On January 25, 2007, NQF Member primary contacts were sent a draft report titled National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Treatment of Substance Use Conditions. This draft document, containing transmittal memo, the report with a table of practice specifications, commentary, and references, is available for review and comment only, not for voting. NQF must receive all member comments by February 23, 2007; public comments are due by February 16, 2007. Access a PDF of the Draft Report.
Access NQF Member and public comments: Health Professional, Provider, & Health Plan Council / Research and Quality Improvement Council / Non-Member Comments
Pre-voting review of National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Hospital Care Additional Priority Areas, 2005-2006, Pneumonia Mortality Supplement.
On November 20, 2006, NQF Member primary contacts were sent a draft report titled National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Hospital Care Additional Priority Areas, 2005-2006, Pneumonia Mortality Supplement. The draft report is for purposes of review and comment only—not voting. NQF must receive all comments by December 21, 2006, 6:00 pm, EST.
NQF Board of Directors Update. Access materials from December 6 Board of Director Meeting:
Pre-voting review of National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Diagnosis and Treatment of Breast and Colon Cancer. On November 20, 2006, NQF Member primary contacts were sent a draft report titled National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Diagnosis and Treatment of Breast and Colon Cancer. The draft report recommends endorsement of six voluntary standards for breast cancer diagnosis and treatment and four voluntary standards for colon cancer diagnosis and treatment. The draft report is provided for purposes of review and comment only—not voting. NQF must receive all comments by December 21, 2006, 6:00 pm, EST.
NQF Announces Appeals Period for 3 Consensus Reports.
On October 13, 2006, the Board of Directors endorsed consensus standards for three reports. Access information about the consensus standards and appeals:
National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Hospital Care: Specialty Clinician Performance Measures.
All submissions must be received by 6:00 pm, EST on November 8, 2006.
Call for Measures: National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Ambulatory Care: Specialty Clinician Performance Measures.
All submissions must be received by 6:00 pm, EST on November 8, 2006.
National Quality Healthcare Award
The application period has opened for the 2007 National Quality Healthcare Award which will recognize organizations that are proactive in their response to the national call for quality improvement and accountability and provide exemplary models for successful use of performance measurement to drive quality improvement, fostering a culture of transparency and accountability to patients and the local community, and raising the bar of health system performance to achieve safe, timely, effective, patient-centered, equitable and efficient care for individual patients and populations. We welcome your feedback regarding this new initiative.
Nursing Care Quality at NQF
Nurses, as the principal caregivers in any healthcare system, directly and profoundly affect the lives of patients and are critical to the quality of care patients receive. However, patient acuity and shorter lengths of stay, the nursing shortage, changing technology, expansion of public and community health services, and higher patient expectations have produced a greater demand for care, mounted financial pressure, and limited nursing resources. Today’s nurses practice in a constrained environment that tests the core of their contribution to quality. NQF is leading an effort to understand more fully the extent to which nurses contribute to improved patient safety and healthcare outcomes and promote nursing care quality.