Value-Based Purchasing Programs (VBPs): Are the Quality Measures Used "Fit for Purpose"?

Quality measurement is an intrinsic component of value-based purchasing, yet the quality measures currently in use for Value-Based Purchasing Programs (VBPs) are generally derived from a potpourri of measures originally built for other purposes. Only a handful of VBPs have definitively shown savings or expanded nationally. We suggest that to shift the health care reimbursement system in the United States to paying for value, quality measures used in VBPs should be vetted as "fit for purpose." We advocate that quality measures deemed "fit" for VBPs be defined primarily by the impact of the quality measures on providers, patients, the provider-patient relationship and what matters to patients. We define 5 attributes of quality measures we believe necessary to link the actions of providers and patients and lead to value for our health care system. "Fit for purpose" quality measures should focus health care delivery on value improvement and create a culture of value in our health care system.