“These changes reflect NQF’s commitment to make the consensus process we use to make decisions about measure endorsement transparent, meaningful, and efficient, and are a result of careful consideration and input from NQF’s Board of Directors and stakeholder groups from across the healthcare industry,” said Marcia Wilson, NQF’s senior vice president of quality measurement.

As of early 2017, the Board of Directors will no longer ratify NQF measure endorsement decisions. The Consensus Standards Approval Committee (CSAC) will make final measure endorsement decisions without ratification by another body. In addition, NQF’s Board, Executive Committee, and CSAC will not participate in the appeals process of measure endorsement decisions. A newly established NQF Appeals Board, appointed by the NQF Board, will adjudicate all submitted appeals of measure endorsement decisions. The changes to NQF’s measure endorsement process apply to measure endorsement projects that have their in-person meetings after August 2016.

To learn more, please visit NQF’s website and review the Measure Endorsement Decision and Appeal Process chart below.

Additionally, NQF has shortened the time that nominations to standing committees remain open from two years to one. This change will also apply to nominations to the Measure Applications Partnership.

The change to one-year nominations is intended to ensure that NQF standing committees (expert panels that review measures submitted for endorsement in topical areas), and the MAP, which makes recommendations on measures used in federal healthcare programs, reflect the broad interests of healthcare stakeholder groups, and that nominations remain current. These changes took effect in August 2016.

Contact Information
For more information about the appeals process, please contact the Measure Maintenance Team.