NQF is committed to improving healthcare quality through the use of health information technology (IT). Care can be safer, more affordable, and better coordinated when electronic health records (EHRs), and other clinical IT systems capture data needed to measure performance, and when that data is easily shared between IT systems.
Our health IT initiatives – made up of several distinct yet related areas of focus – are designed to support an electronic environment based on these ideals; more importantly, they are designed to help clinicians improve patient care.
Related NQF Work
- NEW! Value Set Harmonization
This project seeks to develop and test a value set harmonization criteria and approval process to promote consistency and accuracy in electronic clinical quality measures (eCQM) value sets. This project will also offer guidance on how approved value sets should be integrated into the eCQM endorsement process.
- NEW! HIT Safety
NQF will explore the intersection of HIT and patient safety in order to create a report that will provide a comprehensive framework for assessment of HIT safety measurement efforts, a measure gap analysis and recommendations for gap-filling, and best practices and challenges in measurement of HIT safety issues to-date.
- Critical Paths for Creating Data Platforms
Recent legislation and related regulations have identified a number of performance measurement concepts that challenge current measurement capabilities. The Critical Paths for Creating Data Platforms project will assess the readiness of electronic data to support selected innovative measurement concepts that are critical to HHS’ policy needs. Two projects were selected:
- Care Coordination focused on transitions of care and communication of the patient plan of care
- Patient Safety focused on acute care infusion devices
- Quality Data Model
The Quality Data Model (QDM) is a model of information. Specifically, it is a way to describe clinical concepts in a standardized format so individuals (i.e., providers, researchers, measure developers) monitoring clinical performance and outcomes can clearly and concisely communicate necessary information.
The QDM now operates under the direction of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. For more information on the QDM, please visit: www.healthit.gov/quality-data-model.
- Measure Authoring Tool
The Measure Authoring Tool (MAT) is a publicly available, web-based tool for measure developers to create eMeasures. The MAT now operates under the direction of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. For more information on the MAT, please visit: www.emeasuretool.cms.gov.
- eMeasures
Quality measurement is increasingly moving to an electronic platform. Electronic measures (eMeasures) are a core component of this transition, as they support greater standardization and comparability across measures as well as performance and outcomes data.
- eMeasure Learning Collaborative
The eMeasure Learning Collaborative is a public forum convened by NQF to promote shared learning and advance knowledge and best practices related to the development and implementation of eMeasures.
- eMeasure Feasibility Testing
This project assessed the current state of feasibility testing for new and retooled eMeasures and identify an important set of principles and criteria for adequate feasibility testing.
- Health IT Knowledge Base
The Health IT Knowledge Base is designed to provide answers to some of the most common technical questions surround NQF's health IT initiatives, including the Quality Data Model, the Measure Authoring Tool, and eMeasures.
