A review of the National Quality Forum's activity showed that although the group completed or made progress on 60 of 63 projects, NQF did not meet or did not expect to meet the initial time frames approved by HHS for many projects, according to a GAO report.
In Jan. 2009, HHS awarded a contract to NQF to endorse or recognize healthcare quality measures as national standards. In 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act established additional duties for NQF. The GAO's review examines the status of NQF contracted projects and the extent to which HHS used or planned to use measures received from NQF.
According to the report, NQF did not meet or did not expect to meet the initial time frames approved by HHS for more than half of the projects. For example, NQF completed one project designed to convert previously endorsed quality measures to an electronic format. However, its completion was delayed three months. One reason that contributed to this delay include an expansion of the project's scope and complexity. As a result of the delay, HHS did not have all the retooled measures it expected to include in its Electronic Health Records Incentive Program.
The GAO report also found that while HHS monitored NQF's progress through monthly progress reports and approved changes to time frames and costs, HHS did not use all of the tools for monitoring that are required under the contract.
GAO recommends HHS use all monitoring tools required under the contract to help address NQF's performance; complete testing of retooled measures; and comprehensively plan for its quality measurement needs.
In Jan. 2009, HHS awarded a contract to NQF to endorse or recognize healthcare quality measures as national standards. In 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act established additional duties for NQF. The GAO's review examines the status of NQF contracted projects and the extent to which HHS used or planned to use measures received from NQF.
According to the report, NQF did not meet or did not expect to meet the initial time frames approved by HHS for more than half of the projects. For example, NQF completed one project designed to convert previously endorsed quality measures to an electronic format. However, its completion was delayed three months. One reason that contributed to this delay include an expansion of the project's scope and complexity. As a result of the delay, HHS did not have all the retooled measures it expected to include in its Electronic Health Records Incentive Program.
The GAO report also found that while HHS monitored NQF's progress through monthly progress reports and approved changes to time frames and costs, HHS did not use all of the tools for monitoring that are required under the contract.
GAO recommends HHS use all monitoring tools required under the contract to help address NQF's performance; complete testing of retooled measures; and comprehensively plan for its quality measurement needs.
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