December 7, 2001
Quality Forum Reviews Preliminary Strategic Action Plan, Postpones Final Approval of Serious Reportable Events Report
The Board of Directors of the National Forum for Health Care Quality Measurement and Reporting met on Nov. 29 to review a preliminary strategic action plan for the Forum. The group also discussed its Serious Reportable Adverse Events report and heard a presentation on the state of managed care quality.
Kenneth Kizer, M.D., M.P.H., president and CEO of the Forum, outlined a preliminary strategic action plan for the Forum. Dr. Kizer's presentation identified several focus areas for the Forum including performance measurement and reporting, national goals, information technology, payment policies, and issues such as patient safety and credentialing.
The Board agreed to postpone voting for final approval of its Serious Reportable Adverse Events report. This was done to allow members to review the process used to develop the final report. Specifically, the Board is seeking comments on whether members felt their comments were accurately reported and considered. They plan to have a final vote at the Feb. 13 board meeting.
Margaret O' Kane, president of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), briefed the Board on the current state of managed care quality. During her presentation, Ms. O'Kane noted that this is the second straight year of overall improvement for HMOs and member satisfaction rates are slowly beginning to increase. Some of the areas of improvement she noted were treatment of high blood pressure, childhood immunization, and beta-blocker treatment after heart attacks. Some of the areas that need additional attention include mental health and chlamydia screening. To emphasize the importance of quality Ms. O'Kane discussed an economic model developed by the NCQA. This model will allow employers to compare the savings and revenue associated with a quality health plan. She provided examples using several chronic conditions including diabetes, depression, and heart disease.
Information: Jeff Patyk, AAMC Division of Health Care Affairs, 202-828-0498.
