Quality Measures Advocacy
Asthma Measure Wins NQF Endorsement Maintenance
The AAAAI/ACAAI Joint Task Force on Quality Performance Measures and the AAAAI Measures Stewardship Committee reviewed the Pharmacologic Therapy for Persistent Asthma measure (NQF #0047), due for National Quality Forum endorsement maintenance consideration in 2015, and determined that the AAAAI should defend its endorsement. Because this is a process measure that is nearly “topped out,” meaning that it has very high performance rates in national reporting programs, there was significant concern that we would not be successful.
Additionally, NQF staff indicated that validity and reliability testing would be required. Dr. David Lang, Chair of the Measures Stewardship Committee, recruited Dr. Christine Johnson and Ms. Suzanne Havstead of the Henry Ford Hospital System to analyze de-identified data provided by an Allergy Partners team including Dr. Brian Stone, Ms. Jennifer Boldin, and Mr. Brad Schiffmann. Coordinated by Rebecca Swain-Eng, a consultant for the AAAAI, this team created extremely high quality data reports under an incredibly tight timeframe, dealing with significant challenges in the process.
The National Quality Forum Pulmonary and Critical Care Measures Panel, co-Chaired by Dr. David Lang, reviewed the testing documentation and other materials submitted in support of the measure, and voted for its continued endorsement. (Dr. Lang was excused from the discussion of this and related measures.) Following public comment and NQF Board approval, the measure should receive national endorsement for three more years.
This measure is in use in the CMS Physician Quality Reporting System, the AAAAI Quality Clinical Data Registry, and several other quality reporting programs. It was created by the Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement, and the AAAAI assumed stewardship responsibility for this and other PCPI measures in 2015.