PCPI Accepting Comments on Quality Measures for Asthma

The American Medical Association (AMA) Physician Consortium on Performance Improvement® (PCPI®) has posted asthma quality measures for public comment, available here until April 16, 2014.

With the exception of the asthma management plan measure, these measures were previously posted for public comment in 2009. The management plan measure was added in response to public demand in the previous comment period. The most significant change to the set is the removal of the upper age limit, which was originally 40 years old. This change was requested by the allergists on the workgroup so to better facilitate specialist participation in quality reporting programs and to more accurately reflect guideline recommendations.

Although these are not specialty level measures, they are an important tool for participating in reporting programs as healthcare reimbursement evolves from fee for service to emerging quality or value based payment models. The AAAAI, ACAAI and JCAAI continue to work together through the Joint Task Force on Quality Performance Measures to develop measures that better reflect specialty level care.

The PCPI is in the process of divesting its work in measures development and maintenance, and has asked the AAAAI to take on the role of measures steward for its asthma measures. The AAAAI has agreed to take on this significant commitment on behalf of the specialty. This responsibility will require substantial future investment to work with National Quality Forum, of which the AAAAI has been a member for several years, for national endorsement of the measures, as well as with CMS regarding use of the measures in physician quality and reimbursement programs.

The AAAAI has also been invited by the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) to co-steward atopic dermatitis measures developed through a PCPI/American Board of Allergy and Immunology multi-specialty workgroup. The AAAAI and AAD are currently developing a collaborative relationship to co-steward those measures.