Quality Measurement Committee

Quality Measurement Committee

The Quality Measurement Committee is charged with the following:

Determination and definition of measurements and methods to describe access to healthcare, quality of care, efficiency of care delivery, patient experience and health status;
Analyses of measurement data that will identify major needs and opportunities for improved care in Louisiana;
Implementation of projects to further investigate identified gaps in care and achieve measurable improvement in health and health care.

The committee is utilizing the recently completed Louisiana Multi-Payor Data Warehouse as the primary tool to begin its work. This data warehouse contains health care claims on more than half of Louisiana’s population from Louisiana’s three primary payers (Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Louisiana, Medicare and Medicaid) and provides a detailed snapshot of health care utilization and quality of care prior to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The committee is examining indicators of health care system performance for variously defined subpopulations and plans to expand the data warehouse to include additional health plans. You may access The Quality Forum's Quality Measurement Analysis Portal (Quality MAP) here to investigate the outcomes provided in the data warehouse.

In addition, the committee is examining population-based measures of mortality, morbidity and health risks in Louisiana to identify priority areas in need of intervention at both the policy and implementation levels. Current sources of population health measures include those reported by the Commonwealth Fund, United Health Foundation, the CDC, Morgan-Quitno, and other national organizations, as well as information collected specifically within the state, such as the Louisiana Population Health Survey.

The committee is also inventorying the various methods under development or in use by Medicare, health plans, academia, provider associations, and providers themselves to evaluate cost and quality of clinical practice at the individual provider/provider group/institution level and examining the best practice applications of these measures to achieve improvements in cost and quality of care through transparency initiatives and financial incentives. Based on this analysis, the committee will determine a practical, comprehensive methodology for evaluating the performance of specific health care providers, such as hospitals, group practices, individual physicians, nursing homes and others.

For each provider type, the committee will develop a set of performance measures that is accepted by all stakeholders as a valid tool for evaluating the quality of care associated with a specific provider group or individual practitioner. Performance measures will address adherence to clinical standards and guidelines, efficiency in health care delivery processes, and patient experience.

Please click here to review and comment on Quality Measurement Committee draft recommendations

Please click here to view Committee Reference Documents

NEW Quality Measurement Committee Strategic Plan for 2008-2009