Infectious Disease 2016-2017 

The Opportunity

Many infectious diseases have been controlled or eradicated as a result of vaccines or treatments. However, infectious diseases persist, from viruses and bacteria that cause respiratory illnesses to sexually transmitted infections and more. Infectious diseases account for 3.9 million hospital visits per year and are a leading cause of death in the United States¹. Each year, the nation spends more than $120 billion to treat infectious diseases². Effective quality measures are critically important to improve national efforts to advance treatment of infectious diseases and improve patient safety and healthcare outcomes.

NQF will convene a multistakeholder committee to evaluate measures that address infectious diseases, such as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis, and make recommendations for measure endorsement. This project, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, builds on NQF’s earlier work to set performance measurement standards for HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections, hepatitis, adult and pediatric respiratory infections, and sepsis.

About the Project

This project will evaluate measures related to infectious diseases, such as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis, that can be used for accountability and public reporting. This project will address topic areas including but not limited to:

• HIV/AIDS
• Sexually transmitted infections
• Hepatitis
• Adult and pediatric respiratory infections and
• Sepsis

There are 16 maintenance measures undergoing review in the Infectious Disease project.

NQF Process

Measures will be considered for NQF endorsement as national voluntary consensus standards. Consensus on the recommendations developed through NQF’s formal Consensus Development Process. This project involves the active participation of representatives from across the spectrum of healthcare stakeholder and will be guided by a Standing Committee.

Funding

This project is funded under a contract provided by the Department of Health and Human Services.

For information about the availability of auxiliary aids and services for NQF’s federally funded projects, please visit: http://www.medicare.gov/about-us/nondiscrimination/nondiscrimination-notice.html.

Contact Information

For further information, contact Christy Skipper or Mauricio Menendez at 202-783-1300 or via email at infectiousdisease@qualityforum.org.

Notes

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Health Statistics. Infectious Disease. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/infectious-disease.htm
2. Trust for America’s Health. Outbreaks: Protecting Americans from Infectious Diseases, 2014. Available at http://healthyamericans.org/assets/files/Final%20Outbreaks%202014%20Report.pdf