Ambulatory Performance Measures "Major Step" in Improving Quality of Health Care

Broad-based Coalition Reaches Consensus on "Starter Set" for Physicians

Press Release Date: May 3, 2005

In a major step toward improving the quality of the U.S. health care system, the Ambulatory care Quality Alliance (AQA) has selected a "starter set" of 26 clinical performance measures for the ambulatory care setting. The starter set of measures is intended to provide clinicians, consumers and purchasers with a set of quality indicators that may be utilized for quality improvement, public reporting and pay for performance programs.

The AQA, initially convened by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), the American College of Physicians (ACP), America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), consists of a large body of stakeholders that represent clinicians, consumers, purchasers, health plans and others. The mission of the AQA is "to improve health care quality and patient safety through a collaborative process in which key stakeholders agree on a strategy for measuring, reporting and improving performance at the physician level." A secondary aim of the AQA is to promote uniformity in order to provide consumers and purchasers with consistent information and to reduce the burden on providers.

The uniform starter set comprises prevention measures for cancer screening and vaccinations; measures for chronic conditions including coronary artery disease, heart failure, diabetes, asthma, depression, and prenatal care; and, two efficiency measures that address overuse and misuse. Except for the two efficiency metrics, the AQA limited its review to those measures that are currently under review by the National Quality Forum. The starter set represents an initial set of measures that physicians may use to collect the data and report their performance.

The measures in the starter set will lead to a uniform set of measures for ambulatory care that can focus quality efforts and give consumers data they need to make more informed health care decisions. The starter set of measures may be incorporated into performance-based payments as early as next year.

This approach is similar to the Hospital Quality Alliance that has involved a broad array of stakeholders with the goal of producing a standardized set of measures for inpatient care. Select for background on the 26 measures proposed and for the ambulatory care starter set.

The AQA intends to invite additional provider, purchaser and consumer groups to join the Steering Committee. The AQA calls on employers and health plans to endorse this effort and to utilize the starter set to improve quality of care in the ambulatory setting.

For more information, please contact:

• Sarah Thomas, American Academy of Family Physicians, 800-274-2237, ext. 5200.
• Allison Ewing, American College of Physicians, (215) 352-2649.
• Susan Pisano, America's Health Insurance Plans, (202) 778-3245.
• Karen Migdail, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Public Affairs: (301) 427-1855.

Internet Citation:

Ambulatory Performance Measures "Major Step" in Improving Quality of Health Care: Broad-based Coalition Reaches Consensus on "Starter Set" for Physicians. Press Release, May 3, 2005. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/news/press/pr2005/aqastartpr.htm