A Novel Patient-oriented Tool for Evaluating Quality Measurements

Quality measurements (QMs) have emerged as quantitative tools for measuring “quality”, an elusive term that has been historically difficult to define and quantify. However, current literature has demonstrated that these measurements are flawed. The purpose of this study was to identify the strengths and weaknesses of quality measurements and provide a novel scorecard for evaluating quality measurements. In this retrospective analysis, 246 quality measurements that are integrated into the most significant payer-provider contracts within our institution were analyzed. Each measurement was dissected based on type of measurement, evidence, precision, data exchange, alignment, and how patient-oriented. Our research showed a significant lack of quality measurement alignment across payer-provider contracts. As such, we developed and proposed a Quality Measurement Evaluation Tool (QMET) that scores a quality measurement’s ability to 1) reflect population health and 2) promote patient-oriented goals. Our research demonstrated the majority of quality measurements scored in the inadequate range (i.e., QMET score <6) and only few in the optimal range (i.e., QMET score 10-12). QMET provides a standardized and comprehensive method for appraising quality measurements, promoting continued use of QMs that accurately reflect population health and promote patient-oriented measurements. Future research into the application and reliability of QMET is needed.