Measuring quality in arthritis care: methods for developing the Arthritis Foundation's quality indicator set

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Arthritis Rheum. 2004 Apr 15;51(2):193-202.

Measuring quality in arthritis care: methods for developing the

Arthritis Foundation's quality indicator set.

MacLean CH, Saag KG, DH, Morton SC, Sampsel S, Klippel JH.

RAND Corporation, Santa , California and University of California

Los Angeles School of Medicine, USA. maclean@...

OBJECTIVE: To develop a comprehensive set of explicit process measures

to assess the quality of health care for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid

arthritis, and analgesics use. METHODS: Potential quality measures and a

summary of existing data to support or refute the relationship between

the processes of care proposed in the indicators and relevant clinical

outcomes were developed through a comprehensive literature review. The

proposed measures and literature summary were presented to a

multidisciplinary panel of experts in arthritis and pain. Using a

modification of the RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method, the panel rated

each proposed measure for its validity as a measure of health care

quality. RESULTS: Among 66 proposed indicators, the expert panel rated

51 as valid measures of health care including 14 for osteoarthritis, 27

for rheumatoid arthritis, and 10 for analgesics use.

CONCLUSIONS: Sufficient scientific evidence and expert consensus exist

to support a comprehensive set of measures to assess the quality of

heath care for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and analgesics use.

These measures can be used to gain an understanding of the quality of

care for patients with arthritis.

PMID: 15077259

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