The National Quality Forum (NQF) recently released a draft report outlining recommended changes to their Consensus Development Process (CDP) that governs how quality measures are reviewed and endorsed. The NQF, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and other stakeholders met for a two-day process improvement event (also referred to as a Kaizen) in May to address improving coordination and streamlining the measure evaluation process. The report summarizes the discussion and recommendations from this event.
In the report, NQF recommends the following changes to the measurement review and endorsement process:
- Establishing a technical advisory panel in conducting methodological reviews of submitted measures;
- Requiring that measure developers and stewards notify NQF in advance of their intent to submit measures for review;
- Expanding the measure evaluation commenting period to 12 consecutive weeks;
- Enhancing education and training for stakeholder participation and engagement; and
- Allowing only NQF members to signal support for measures under review.
Comments on the draft report are due Friday, June 23. The AAMC will submit comments on these proposals.