In order to fully understand the health care system’s shortcomings and work toward improvement, we need quality metrics. They are the tools that help us quantify and assess the performance of the health care system. They can take many forms across the full range of health care settings, from doctors’ offices to imaging facilities to hospital systems. However, hospitals, health plans, states, and the federal government currently each use different measures, which means our health care system has thousands of quality metrics, collectively.
As Colorado considers new value-based delivery systems, quality metrics help us maintain accountability and improve performance within new payment systems. In order to provide higher value health care, or higher quality care for lower costs and with better outcomes, we need to understand how to define and measure quality in a way that is meaningful to consumers.
Learn more about the barriers to consumer engagement and best practices for overcoming them by reading the complete report below.
Quality Metrics Primer
This factsheet was developed by a coalition of advocates for consumer-centric health systems change. Center for Health Progress is part of the leadership team for this coalition.