Access the Final Report: National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Imaging Efficiency: A Consensus Report
The Opportunity
There is a clear need for measurement and research regarding the appropriate and effective use of imaging in a clinical setting. Medicare spends approximately $14 billion annually on outpatient imaging studies. 1 It is imperative to clarify which imaging procedures and technologies result in improvements in patient care and possible decreases in healthcare costs.
The goal of these consensus standards is to identify specific imaging efficiency measurement domains, which include duplication, overlap, screening, negative studies, non-contrast imaging of the same body part using the same imaging modality followed shortly thereafter but on separate occasions with contrast imaging, imaging of adjacent body parts, and coordination of care. Given the specific inclusion of overuse of imaging procedures in the National Priorities and Goals developed by the National Priorities Partnership, it is anticipated that these measures will seek to improve the rate of cost growth and enhance the quality of care provided.
About the Project
The Imaging Efficiency project began in November 2009. It is a follow-up to the Outpatient Imaging Efficiency project that was completed in November 2008.
Objective
This project seeks to identify and endorse measures for public reporting and quality improvement related to resource use and care coordination for hospital outpatient imaging.
Process
Candidate imaging efficiency measures will be considered for NQF endorsement as national voluntary consensus standards. Agreement will be developed through NQF’s Consensus Development Process (CDP, version 1.8). This project involves the active participation of representatives from across the spectrum of healthcare stakeholders and is guided by a Steering Committee.
Funding
This project is funded under NQF's Department of Health and Human Services contract, Consensus-based Entities Regarding Healthcare Performance Measurement.
Related NQF Work
Contact Information
For more information, please contact Heidi Bossley, MSN, MBA at 202-783-1300 or via email at imagingefficiency2@qualityforum.org.
1. Government Accountability Office (GAO), Medicare Part B Imaging Services: Rapid Spending Growth and Shift to Physician Offices Indicate Need for CMS to Consider Additional Management Practices, Washington, DC: GPO; 2008. Available at www.gao.gov/new.items/d08452.pdf. Last accessed October 2009.
This project seeks to identify and endorse measures for public reporting and quality improvement related to resource use and care coordination for hospital outpatient imaging.
NQF issued a Call for Intent to submit candidate standards for Imaging Efficiency. Notices of intent closed on November 16, 2009. For additional information, see the full Call for Intent (PDF) document.
Table of Proposed Measures (PDF)
The Call for Nominations closed on January 6, 2010. For information on the Steering Committee formation process, please refer to the Call for Nominations document.
Call for Nominations (PDF)
The Call for Candidate Standards closed on January 6, 2010.
The Steering Committee met via conference call on February 19, 2010.
The Steering Committee met in person February 23-24, 2010. The meeting was held at 601 13th Street, NW, Suite 600 North, Washington, DC.
The Steering Committee met via conference call on April 22, 2010.
A total of six measures were recommended for NQF endorsement. NQF Members were able to vote on individual recommended measures.
Member voting for the first report closed on September 10, 2010. The draft report was revised based on comments received during the Public and Member Comment and consultation with the Steering Committee.
The draft report for the harmonized measure, IEP-008-10 Appropriate Cervical Spine CT Imaging in Trauma (Brigham and
Women's Hospital), has been revised based on the comments received during the Public and Member Comment and consultation with the Steering Committee.
Member voting for the second report closed on February 3, 2011.
CSAC met July 13-14, 2011. At this meeting the CSAC considered the endorsement of Imaging Efficiency: Addendum Report.
After the CSAC makes its final decision, the NQF Board will have seven days to ratify any endorsements.
The addendum report was approved by the Board in April 2011.
The public will have 30 days to appeal the decision to endorse a voluntary consensus standard. The appeals process will begin once the Board’s decision has been made.
The public had 30 days to appeal the final decision to endorse a voluntary
consensus standard. The appeals process closed on September 30, 2011. The CSAC
reviewed the appeals in the November meeting. The NQF Board reviewed the CSAC’s
recommendations in November and voted to uphold the endorsement of the measure.
View submitted appeals:
American Board of Emergency Medicine
The public had 30 days to appeal the final decision to endorse a voluntary consensus standard. Any party could request reconsideration of the recommendations, in whole or in part, by notifying NQF by September 30, 2011. The appeals period has closed. No appeals were filed during this time.
