What types of performance measures might be used in an RHC QAPI program?
Section 491.11 provides RHCs with tremendous flexibility with regards to performance measures. RHCs may design their own or may draw on measures from outside sources. Surveyors will check to see that the measures are relevant to the clinic’s QAPI program and that the data, or information, collected will enable a clinic, with its available staff and resources, to assess change or improvement. For example, a clinic seeking to increase access by reducing patient wait time might measure the time between a patient presenting and being seen by a physician or mid-level practitioner. Various clinical practice guidelines detail a variety of measures for managing chronic diseases. The American Academy of Family Physicians has suggested guidelines for physician office practice performance measures and the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality has published a guide to performance measures for quality improvement.
