What makes a good quality measure?

摘要

In this issue of JAMA, reports on the relationship between clinical outcomes and quality measures by Neuman and colleagues and Howell and colleagues facilitate reflection on the attributes of good quality measures. These studies raise issues that are familiar to experts in quality measurement3 but may not be understood by physicians and others whose performance is being assessed. Although the reports present information on a variety of types of measures, this Editorial focuses on the clinical quality measures. Neuman et al examined the relationship between several publicly reported measures of performance in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and hospital readmission or death among Medicare beneficiaries receiving postacute care in these facilities.