Rick Pollack, executive vice president of the American Hospital Association, sent a letter to the National Quality Forum and CMS, urging the agencies to adopt recommendations to adjust quality measures for sociodemographic risk factors, according to an AHA News Now report.
In March, an expert panel convened by NQF released a draft of a report that recommended adjusting quality measures to account for socioeconomic and other demographic risk factors.
"A large body of evidence demonstrates that sociodemographic factors such as income and insurance status affect many patient outcomes, including readmissions and costs," Mr. Pollack wrote. "Sociodemographic adjustment allows for all providers to be fairly and accurately assessed on the quality of care they provide and their contribution to patient outcomes while mitigating negative unintended consequences of measurement." He noted that failing to adjust the measures holds providers responsible for poverty and lack of community resources, which they have no control over.
"We strongly urge CMS to adopt the NQF panel's recommendations and adjust its measures in its many quality reporting and pay-for-performance programs," Mr. Pollack wrote.
The NQF is accepting public comment on the recommendations through 6 p.m. EDT Wednesday.