[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 4, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16786-16787]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-3207]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
AHRQ Quality Indicators Workgroup on Inpatient and Patient Safety
Composite Measures
AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), DHHS.
ACTION: Notice of request for nominations.
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SUMMARY: The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is
seeking nominations for members of an AHRQ-convened Quality Indicators
Workgroup on Composite Measures for the Inpatient Quality Indicators
(IQIs) and the Patient Safety Indicators (PSIs) as part of a general
workgroup on composite measures. The AHRQ QI Composite Measures General
Workgroup and subsequent IQI and PSI sub-workgroups are being formed as
part of a structured approach for developing composite measures from
the IQI and PSI software tools for public reporting of quality of
hospital care at the national and state level. The purpose of this
project is to obtain input from interested organizations and
individuals on the development of composite quality measures based on
hospital discharge data, specifically using the IQI and PSI measures.
The Workgroups will evaluate appropriate technical and methodological
approaches currently available and will discuss and suggest strategies
as to what composite measure methodology would best fit QI user needs.
As part of this effort and using the AHRQ PSIs and IQIs, the Workgroup
members will be addressing several key issues for the development of
composite measures, including but not limited to:
Identifying and defining the quality concept that each
composite is intended to measure;
Suggesting and considering the individual quality
indicators that should be included in the composite;
The manner of weighting with which individual quality
indicators could or should be combined;
Evaluation of using condition-specific quality of care
composites (e.g., for cardiovascular disease, or diabetes) or
population-specific composites (e.g., pediatrics, women, or geriatrics)
or domain specific composites (e.g., surgical, or infections); and
Discussion of the methodological considerations which are
appropriate or important when combining quality indicators and the
considerations when composites are used for publicly reporting data.
For additional information about the AHRQ Quality Indicators,
please visit the AHRQ Quality Indicators Web site at http://www.qualityindicators.ahrq.gov.
Specifically, the AHRQ QI Composite Measures General Workgroup will
consist of up to 15 individuals who have expertise in one or more of
the following areas: Statistical methods, hospital quality improvement
and patient safety, health services research, and administrative data.
To the extent possible, this Workgroup will represent a variety of
stakeholder perspectives, specifically including--(1) Consumers, (2)
healthcare purchasers, (3) quality improvement organizations, (4)
researchers, (5) healthcare professionals, (6) state-based
organizations, and (7) Federal health care provider organizations. The
Workgroup will be further divided into two sub-workgroups to focus on
the IQIs and the PSIs separately. Each sub-workgroup will have a series
of conference calls to share perspectives, discuss the technical and
policy issues surrounding composite measures for each module and will
then summarize their discussions for presentation to the AHRQ QI
Composite Measures General Workgroup. The AHRQ QI Composite Measures
General Workgroup will provide responses to the sub-workgroups'
findings. AHRQ will then develop a summary of the discussion in a
technical report. This report will be made available for public
comment.
DATES: Please submit nominations on or before May 4, 2006. Self-
nominations are welcome. Third-party nominations must indicate that the
individual has been contacted and is willing to serve on one of the
workgroups. Notification of selected candidates will be contacted by
AHRQ no later than May 15, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Nominations can be sent in the form of a letter or e-mail,
preferably as an electronic file with an e-mail attachment and should
specifically address the submission criteria as noted below. Electronic
submissions are strongly encouraged. Responses should be submitted to:
AHRQ Quality Indicators Initiative, Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality, Center for Delivery, Organization and Markets, 540 Gaither
Road, Room 5121, Rockville, MD 20850. E-mail: [email protected].
Submission Criteria
To be considered for membership on the AHRQ QI Workgroups, please
send the following information for each nominee:
1. A brief nomination letter highlighting experience/knowledge
relevant in the development and use of composite performance measures
and familiarity with the AHRQ QIs and health care administrative data.
(See selection criteria below.) Please include full contact information
of nominee: Name, title, organization, mailing address, telephone and
fax numbers, and e-mail address).
2. Curriculum vita (with citations to any pertinent publications).
Nominee Selection Criteria
Nominees should have technical expertise in health care quality
measurement development, and a familiarity with statistical methods and
risk adjustment strategies in the area of composite measure
development.
More specifically, each candidate will be evaluated using the
following criteria:
Peer-reviewed publications relevant to the development of
composite measures; performance measures and reporting;
Expertise in statistical methods relevant to the
development of composite measures;
Knowledge of recent composite methodologies published in
the literature;
Experience with development of measures based on
administrative data and its uses;
Expertise in hospital quality improvement and patient
safety;
Familiarity with the AHRQ Quality Indicators and their
application;
Experience with application of performance measures for
public reporting; and,
Availability to provide written comments and conference
calls between late April and early August.
Time Commitment
In an effort to provide for expert input and for recommendations to
develop a composite measure methodology, we are initiating a review
process that will require participation in approximately four to five
conference calls with some
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pre- and post-evaluation time (approximately 10 hours). Results from
this process will influence the development of composite measures for
the AHRQ Quality indicators. Beginning in late April/early May through
early August, selected nominees will be asked to participate in the
following activities:
IQI/PSI Sub-Workgroup Activities
1. Provide evaluative comments on current methodology for composite
indicators (2.0 hours) and participate in subsequent General Workgroup
call (1.0 hour);
2. Participate in one Sub-Workgroup conference call to discuss
suggested changes to the current composite indicator methodology (1.5
hours);
3. Provide evaluative comments on AHRQ's new draft or revised
methodology (1.5 hour);
4. Participate in second Subgroup call to respond to each others'
comments and questions or provide additional clarifications regarding
draft methodology (1.5 hours); and
5. Participate in second General workgroup call. Provide
suggestions for summary document for public comment (2.0 hours).
The Workgroup will conduct business by telephone, e-mail, or other
electronic means as needed.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mamatha Pancholi, Center for Delivery,
Organization, and Markets, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality,
540 Gaither Road, Rockville, MD 20850; Phone: (301) 427-1470; Fax:
(301) 427-1430; E-mail: [email protected]; or
Marybeth Farquhar, Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets,
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 540 Gaither Road,
Rockville, MD 20850; Phone: (301) 427-1317; Fax: (301) 427-1430; E-
mail: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The AHRQ Quality Indicators (AHRQ QIs) are a unique set of measures
of health care quality that make use of readily available hospital
inpatient administrative data. The QIs have been used for various
purposes. Some of these include tracking, hospital self-assessment,
reporting of hospital-specific quality or pay for performance. The AHRQ
QIs are provider- and area-level quality indicators and currently
consist of four modules: The Prevention Quality Indicators (PQI), the
Inpatient Quality Indicators, the Patient Safety Indicators (PSI) and
the Pediatric Quality Indicators (PedsQIs). In response to feedback
from the AHRQ QI user community, AHRQ is committed to developing
composite measures in an effort to provide an overall view of quality
that is complete, useful and easily understandable to consumers and
others within the health care field.
Dated: March 29, 2006.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. 06-3207 Filed 4-3-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M