NQF Mammography Center Measures
Committee Begins Work
March 7, 2003 - The coordinating committee for the
National Quality Forum's Mammography Center Measures project
met March 4 to identify areas of potential quality measurement
useful to consumers. The project, sponsored by the Robert
Wood Johnson (RWJ) Foundation, will identify a set of consumer-focused
measures of mammography center quality that is scientifically
credible, feasible and informative to consumers. The co chairs
of the coordinating committee are Diane Blum, ACSW and Valerie
Jackson, M.D.
The meeting included significant discussion among committee
members about current accreditation standards and current
regulations governing mammography centers. After assessing
the current environment, the committee agreed the existing
quality measures among mammography centers are inconsistent.
In addition, some existing measures, such as the false positive
or false negative rate, do not provide an accurate assessment
of quality at mammography centers. The areas of potential
measurement the committee agreed upon include accreditation
status; patient experience (e.g., convenience, privacy); continuity
of care (follow up referral); reporting mechanism (receiving
results); and access issues (charity care, referral).
The coordinating committee identified other important issues
that did not fit into a specific area including, among others,
whether a center (or practitioner) specializes in mammography,
waiting time to an appointment for a diagnostic mammogram,
and an indicator of how well the mammogram is read.
Information:
Jeff Patyk, Staff Specialist
AAMC Health Care Affairs
jpatyk@aamc.org
(202) 828-0498
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