Child Health Care Quality Toolbox: Factors for Selecting Performance Measures

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Factors for Selecting Performance Measures

*Factors*	*CAHPS®*	*HCUP QIs*	*HEDIS®*	*Title V*
*Suitable for comparing?*	Yes, if CAHPS® specifications followed.	Not designed for comparisons.	Yes, if HEDIS® specifications followed.	Yes, if involved users adopt and adhere to identical, rigorous methodological specifications.
*Suitable for trending?*	Yes, if CAHPS® specifications followed.	Not designed for comparisons.	Yes, if HEDIS® specifications followed.	Yes, if involved users adopt and adhere to identical, rigorous methodological specifications.
*For use with what service delivery systems?*	MCOs, PCCM, FFS	Can be used with hospital data from any service delivery system.	Designed for MCOs; applications with PCCM, FFS are in place.	State users can adopt additional specifications to suit various service delivery systems.
*For use with what units of analysis?*	MCOs, PCCM programs, FFS programs—can be administered locally or statewide.	Statewide; can be applied within smaller regions if there are enough hospitals.	Designed for MCOs; applications with statewide PCCM and FFS programs are in place.	Statewide
*Database and benchmarks available?*	Databases are available.	National statistics to be posted on Web site in the future.	Databases are available.	Individual State-reported performance measurement results are available online.
*User support provided?*	Extensive user support and user support network available free of charge.	User support available free of charge.	Extensive user support and users group available at various costs.	MCHB/HRSA staff are available to answer questions.
*How much does it cost?*	CAHPS® specifications and protocols are in the public domain. Drawing a sample for a CAHPS® survey, administering the survey, and analyzing the data according to proper procedures have associated costs.	HCUP QIs software is in the public domain. The cost of using the software to calculate quality indicators is dependent on the availability of State-level data and on the completeness and accuracy of the data.	Documents describing HEDIS® specifications and protocols required when submitting HEDIS® (and CAHPS® 2.0H) results to NCQA; available for purchase from NCQA. There are costs for administering the CAHPS® 2.0H measure (the HEDIS® version of CAHPS® ). There are also costs for collecting other HEDIS® measures, particularly if medical records review is used.	The cost of using Title V measures varies widely, depending on the complexity of the measures, the clarity of measure specifications, and the availability of usable data.

CAHPS®: Consumer Assessment of Health Plans
FFS: fee for service
HCUP QIs: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Quality Indicators
HEDIS®: Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set
HRSA: Health Resources and Services Administration
MCHB: Maternal and Child Health Bureau
MCO: managed care organization
NCQA: National Committee for Quality Assurance
PCCM: primary care case management
Title V: Maternal and Child Health Programs

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Internet Citation:

Child Health Care Quality Toolbox: Factors for Selecting Performance Measures. July 2004. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/chtoolbx/cahptab.htm