Quality Reporting: Understanding National Priorities, Identifying Local Applicability.

Since the 1990s, the use of quality measures in healthcare has grown exponentially. Practices must maintain current knowledge of measures that affect their clinicians locally and understand how assessment of these medical professionals affects the priorities and quality activities of practices and facilities. Because quality measures are increasingly used by hospital administrators, health plans, and payers, practices are being asked to shoulder the additional burdens of collecting and reporting data to various entities. Part of the solution to this increased burden often includes contracting with vendors and outside experts, as well as identifying effective local physician and practice champions.