The clinical registry will allow for flexible data collection via paper, Web, or even PDA. To make data reporting easier, a practice will only need to report its data on, for example, osteoporosis once and the registry will automatically parse the practice’s performance along four different quality measures, Dr. Solomon explains.
The clinical registry will also provide physicians with a performance report. For example, with this registry you could determine the percentage of your patients with osteoporosis using a particular drug, compared with patients from practices from across the country. “We envision as the tool grows, it’ll give us information with a research role, as well as challenges,” says Dr. Solomon.
Although the ACR hopes that its members will opt to participate in quality measurements for the sake of stronger patient care, Dr. Solomon says that financial incentives provided by CMS and perhaps other payers will likely also drive participation. The ACR’s Rheumatology Clinical Registry will be expanded and improved over time, but the College wants to get its members proactively involved in the process. “We are at an early phase and our system of measuring quality is not perfect,” says Dr. Solomon. “The ACR is being proactive—developing quality measures and tools for practitioners. The quality measures and the systems for collecting data will improve over time.”
Other Approaches to Quality Improvement
Other societies that have had some success in their efforts to develop and implement quality measures shared some of their experiences and advice at the summit, including the American Medical Association. Medical society guests included the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the American College of Cardiology, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, and the American Academy of Neurology.
“We’re not alone in this,” says Dr. Solomon. “Many groups already have experience with quality measures.”
Each group addressed common issues faced during the development of quality measures, including cost (which can be substantial), the need to develop measures that are meaningful to and feasible for physicians, and the desire to keep data confidential.
These specialty societies have seen their quality programs grow. For example, at ASCO, almost 190 practices participate in the group’s Quality Oncology Practice Initiative, says Kristen McNiff, ASCO’s quality division director. ASCO had 37 measures until 2005; by spring of 2008, they had more than 75 measures from which oncologists could choose. This year alone, 16 new measures were introduced. The measures are reassessed every six months to make sure they are effective and relevant.
