As you know, we’re all about measurement at NCQA. We live by that old credo, if you don’t measure, you can’t improve. You must gauge progress, adjust to improve, and measure again. That’s how health goals are achieved. Simple and effective, right?
Whose Goals Are these?
The health goals we try so hard to help people reach are often our objectives–defined by us, the health care community, as what’s best for patients. They are valuable goals. But sometimes, the patients’ personal goals go missing in these measurements. What I mean is, their objectives—their goals are not included in the measurement model.
At NCQA, we think we can change that. We want to add patients’ specific, self-defined goals to the measurement model. We want to help people better identify their personally driven goals. We want to use tools to gauge their progress in meeting said goals. Then we want health care providers to form a more tailored care plan—a better care plan for the patient. We think all this will lead to patients being more directly involved in shaping their care, to get better self-reported outcomes as well as better clinically measured outcomes. Sort of epitomizes the concept of person-driven, patient-centered care, right?
Pitch in for Our Pilot
But we need some help to make it happen. The John A. Hartford Foundation and The SCAN Foundation have both generously funded our research. Now, we need health care organizations to pitch in for the pilot project.
If your organization participates, we’ll have lots of resources for you—including a mobile app and a web portal for collecting data and reporting. You’ll find all the details and deadlines at NCQA.org/PersonDrivenOutcomes. Our simple application is at NCQA.org/PDOApplication.
If you have any additional questions, our team stands ready to answer them. Send them to Eshane Wang.
Opportunity Knocks
This is a great opportunity for us to learn better ways to include person-driven goals in the measurement matrix. It’s a great opportunity for your organization to encourage your patients to take an active role include your members in care planning and self-management. Most importantly, if our pilot works out the way we expect, it’s an exciting opportunity for people to get more involved in setting their personal health goals and achieving them.
