There are many ways to interpret the equation QD = QC, but using data analytics to identify best practices to support clinical decisions at the point of care seems to be the obvious winner.
In the bigger picture, QD = QC refers to the bow of the Medicaid ship being turned (more quickly than slowly) toward a future of shared accountability for quality care delivery.
In its Roadmap for Implementing Value Driven Healthcare in the Traditional Medicare Fee-for-Service Program, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) says it has begun to transform from a passive payer of services into an active purchaser of higher quality, affordable care.
“It is important to develop the tools necessary to create rational approaches to lessen healthcare cost growth and to identify and encourage care delivery patterns that are not only high quality, but also cost-efficient.”
The new reality will require the identification of quality measures and reports that demonstrate how they are being met most efficiently. CMS has already begun to pay for reporting of quality data for hospitals, HHAs, and physicians. Shared savings models among CMS and providers will follow.
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