VA News : Health Care Leaders Discuss Next Generation of Quality and Value Metrics

WASHINGTON - Top health care industry leaders from around the country
joined for a two-day roundtable discussion about the next generation of
health care quality and value metrics. The meeting allowed leaders to
compare and contrast how they use metrics to enhance quality of care and
value for patients.

 "We greatly appreciate the time, commitment and expertise of these
health care leaders, who shared thoughtful and powerful insights on how
to better measure quality, safety and performance," said Secretary of
Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "I believe strategic partnerships
with our health care colleagues, public and private, are invaluable."

Harvey V. Fineberg, MD, PhD, president of the Institute of Medicine and
former provost of Harvard University, moderated the discussion. The
meeting created a dialogue across major health care systems in order to
work toward two primary goals: to identify the next generation of
performance metrics to assess population health, patient experience and
health care value, and to explore opportunities to develop and use these
new measures.

Last year, VA launched its ASPIRE for Quality initiative, aimed at
making data and outcome information available to the public in such
areas as inpatient and ambulatory care, prevention, and chronic disease.
More information on ASPIRE is available at
http://www.hospitalcompare.va.gov/.

Attendees Included:

*         Eric K. Shinseki, Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs

*         Harvey V. Fineberg, MD, PhD, President of the Institute of
Medicine

*         Brian Alexander, MD, MPH, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's
Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School

*         Helen Burstin, MD, MPH, Senior Vice President for Performance
Measures, National Quality Forum

*         Francis J. Crosson, MD, Senior Fellow, Kaiser Permanente
Institute for Health Policy

*         Douglas Eby, MD, MPH, Vice President of Medical Services for
Southcentral Foundation, Alaska Native Medical Center

*         Richard J. Gilfillan, MD, Acting Director of the Center for
Medicare and Medicaid Innovation

*         Lt. Gen. Charles B. Green, MD, Surgeon General of the Air
Force

*         Ashish Jha, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Health Policy at
the Harvard School of Public Health; Associate Professor of Medicine at
Harvard Medical School

*         Thomas Lee, MD, Network President, Partners Healthcare System
Inc.

*         Elizabeth A McGlynn, PhD, Director of the Kaiser Permanente
Center for Effectiveness and Safety Research

*         David B. Pryor, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Ascension Health

*         Stephen Swensen, MD, Mayo Clinic Director of Quality

*         Robert Petzel, MD, VA Under Secretary for Health

*         Robert Jesse, MD, PhD, VA Principal Deputy Under Secretary for
Health

*         William E. Duncan, MD, PhD, VA Associate Deputy Under
Secretary for Health for Quality and Safety

*         Peter Almenoff, MD, VA Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for
Health for Quality and Safety
--
Sean P Eagan

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans

Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars
716 720-4000