Keep an eye on quality measures

CMS’ Physician Compare website is intended to assist patients in finding the "best" providers based on reported performance measures. Will the addition of quality measures to the Physician Compare website be useful in the credentialing/privileging process—if not now, then perhaps down the line? Definitely maybe, according to a very informal Credentialing Resource Center Insider poll of several experts in the field.

The consensus is that MSPs should keep an eye the quality measure data, if possible. The measures reported on hospitals are already incorporated into OPPE at many facilities. If providers know their performance data is publicly reported, and reimbursement will be tied to it, that could be an incentive to improve care. However, if the data collected is not physician-specific, its value will be limited in the credentialing and privileging process.

Are the new Physician Compare quality measures already collected in your data set? Is the website itself on your radar? Let me know. 

As always, thanks for reading!

Mary Stevens, managing editor, Credentialing Resource Center