Recommended quality measures for health-system pharmacy: 2019 update from the Pharmacy Accountability Measures Work Group

Purpose Pharmacists are accountable for medication-related services provided to patients. As payment models transition from reimbursement for volume to reimbursement for value, pharmacy departments must demonstrate improvements in patient care outcomes and quality measure performance. The transition begins with an awareness of quality measures for which pharmacists and pharmacy personnel can demonstrate accountability across the continuum of care. The objective of the Pharmacy Accountability Measures (PAM) Work Group is to identify measures for which pharmacy departments can and should assume accountability. Summary The National Quality Forum (NQF) Quality Positioning System (QPS) was queried for NQF-endorsed medication-related measures. Included measures were curated into a data set of 6 therapeutic categories: antithrombotic safety, cardiovascular control, glucose control, pain management, behavioral health, and antimicrobial stewardship. Subject matter expert (SME) panels assigned to each area analyzed each measure according to a predetermined ranking system developed by the PAM Work Group. Measures remaining after SME review were disseminated during a public comment period for review and ballot. Over 1,000 measures are captured in the NQF QPS; 656 of the measures were found to be endorsed and medication use related or impacted by medication management services. A single reviewer categorized 140 measures into therapeutic categories for SME review; the remaining measures were unrelated to those clinical domains. The SME groups identified 28 measures for inclusion. Conclusion An understanding of the endorsed quality measures available for public reporting programs provides an opportunity for pharmacists to demonstrate accountability for performance, thus improving quality and safety and demonstrating value of care provided.