Health IT-Enabled Quality Measurement (2012-2013)

Pathways to Quality Measurement Through Health IT is a 2-year, AHRQ-sponsored initiative that enables advancements in health IT-enabled quality measurement and reporting by identifying strategies, a health services infrastructure, and research issues related to health IT-enabled quality measures. Reports and other materials emanating from this initiative will culminate in the development of a strategic plan to improve health care quality enabled by health IT.

Health IT-Enabled Quality Measurement: Perspectives, Pathways, and Practical Guidance (PDF, 2.87 MB)

This report examines the intersection of health IT and quality measurement, reflecting the expectation that health IT-enabled quality measurement can make quality improvement possible. It is presented to share information, stimulate discussion, assist communication among stakeholders, facilitate understanding, and to provide guidance on potential infrastructure enhancements that could be pursued, individually or collectively.  Five appendixes to this report summarize the input received as well as catalog the efforts of many organizations who are engaged in efforts to improve quality through health IT.

A National Web Conference on Health IT-Enabled Quality Measurement: Perspectives, Pathways, and Practical Guidance

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) hosts a series of National Web Conferences designed to increase practitioners' ability to improve health care decisionmaking, support patient-centered care, and improve the quality and safety of care through the use of health IT.

This session provided a review of perspectives regarding the prioritization of activities and an overview of recurring topics that emerged, including -- (a) Measure Development, Implementation, and Testing or the "eMeasure Development Lifecycle", (b) Data Elements and Data Capture as well as Tools to Process Unstructured Data, (c) Data Access, Sharing, Aggregation, and Integration, (d) Patient Engagement, and (e) Collaboration and Education.

For more information, please select: A National Web Conference on Health IT-Enabled Quality Measurement: Perspectives, Pathways, and Practical Guidance

Webinar Presentation Slides (PDF, 1.42 MB)

An Environmental Snapshot-- Quality Measurement Enabled by Health IT: Overview, Challenges, and Possibilities (PDF, 1.67 MB)

• Provides an overview of health IT-enabled quality measurement;
• Discusses possibilities for the next generation of health IT-enabled quality measurement;
• Illustrates challenges to achieving the next generation of health IT-enabled quality measurement; and
• Describes over 80 Federal, State, regional, and private activities seeking to improve health-IT enabled quality measurement.

Request for Information (RFI) on Health IT-Enabled Quality Measurement (Comment period ended September, 21, 2012)

AHRQ is seeking insight from diversified stakeholders via a Request for Information (RFI) to identify successful strategies for improving health IT-enabled quality measurement. Through this RFI, AHRQ will explore pathways toward nonregulatory solutions for challenges to achieving the next generation of health IT-enabled quality measurement. To access the RFI, please visit:  https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2012/08/22/2012-20550/request-for-information-on-quality-measurement-enabled-by-health-it-extension-date-for-responses.