NQF:  

Using the recently completed environmental scan on ED crowding and emergency preparedness as a baseline, NQF will convene an expert panel through an in-person meeting and several conference calls/webinars to: 

• Review the measures and measure concepts available in the following areas: ED crowding and boarding, emergency preparedness, surge capacity, and any other areas identified by the panel;
• Identify gaps and barriers to fully specifying and testing the measures;
• Prioritize measure concepts in those areas defined above that could be targeted for further development and testing; and
• Provide recommendations for how such measures could be aggregated from the individual facility level to higher levels (e.g., on a regional level, by geographical unit).