Consensus Standards Approval Committee (CSAC)
The CSAC is an advisory committee whose members are appointed by the National Quality Forum’s (NQF) Board of Directors. It reviews measure endorsement recommendations of multistakeholder NQF standing committees, which are convened in topical areas to review and recommend submitted standards (measures) for endorsement.
CSAC activities related to measure endorsement occur within the larger context of NQF's Consensus Development Process (CDP). Specific CSAC responsibilities include:
Review and Approval of Candidate Measures
The CSAC reviews the submitted measures for the strategic importance of measures within the portfolio, cross-cutting issues concerning measure properties, and consensus development process concerns. The CSAC may uphold a standing committee’s recommendation or send the measure back to a standing committee for reconsideration.
Learn more about the CSAC criteria for decision-making (PDF).
Composition
CSAC members are drawn from a diverse set of stakeholder perspectives. The committee includes individuals with expertise in measure development, implementation, and reporting as well as individuals with the perspectives of consumers and purchasers. All CSAC members have a fiduciary responsibility to patients and the American public and serve as individuals, not representatives of a particular organization, association, or other group. CSAC members are subject to the same disclosure and conflict-of-interest policies that apply to NQF standing committees that review measures.
CSAC members may serve a maximum of two 2-year terms and terms are staggered to ensure continuity. CSAC members in leadership positions serve for two years, the first year as vice chair and the second year as chair. The NQF Board of Directors appoints all CSAC members, including the CSAC chair and vice chair, and the CSAC chair serves in an ex officio, voting capacity on the Board. Appointments to CSAC leadership positions rotate from one year to the next between individuals drawn from the consumer and purchaser perspectives and other individuals.
