At present, the active Radiology Measure Set is being updated with several new draft measures. Many of these draft measures focus on recommendations related to incidental findings and unnecessary follow-up imaging. Measures may be designed for the goal of NQF endorsement and use in pay-for-performance programs, or they may be developed for limited quality improvement programs within a practice. Some radiology-specific measures that receive NQF endorsement and CMS implementation

are likely to be outcomes based, and when applicable, future measures should MK-1775 in vivo be rigorously supported by evidence that demonstrates an improved outcome. In choosing measures for implementation and reporting, it is important for radiologists to have measures that are relevant to imaging. There are nearly 700 NQF-endorsed measures, but only a small number are relevant to radiologists, and

some apply only to interventional procedures (Table 3). Also, for many measures that include imaging as an element, the desired measure result is often attributed to the treating or referring physician and not the radiologist. Developing radiology-specific outcome measures may be a challenge as the correct performance, interpretation, and reporting of an imaging study may only contribute indirectly to a good patient outcome. A key goal Fulvestrant research buy of the ACR Metrics Committee ROS1 within the Commission of Quality and Safety is to develop measures attributable to radiologists. Although this is an ongoing process, radiologists should familiarize themselves with the complex family of public and private programs now using measures to modify reimbursement. It is also incumbent on radiology practices to develop plans for data gathering so that quality gaps can be identified and data easily reported for reimbursement purposes. Performance measures are now an established component of quality assessment and reimbursement in health care and will only grow in importance. Measures development first entails identifying a clinical area in need of improvement and is a multiple-step

process that requires evidence gathering, specifying inclusion and exclusion criteria, and testing. A developed measure may be further submitted to the NQF for endorsement; endorsed measures are then typically used in value-based purchasing programs. Implemented measures routinely undergo maintenance and may be revised, harmonized with other measures, or retired depending on evolving best practices. Radiologists should be involved in measure development to ensure that they are clinically important and relevant to a radiology practice. Performance measures are now an established component of quality assessment and reimbursement in health care and will continue to grow in importance and use. “
“Gary W. Falk Ian M.