With quality improvement one of the biggest topics of discussion in health care today, sorting through the most relevant studies and perspectives on issues like payment reform, accountability programs and performance measurement can be overwhelming. To help, the ACC Partners in Quality Subcommittee has developed the following list of recent publications and articles of interest addressing quality improvement. Have another resource for the list? Share it with CardiologyEditor@ACC.org.

National Health Quality Roadmap. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services convened a variety of stakeholders to develop strategies for improving the Federal Government's administration of the health care quality enterprise. The roadmap identifies specific areas that will advance change through governance and oversight, data collection and reporting, and aligned measures in federal quality programs. Click here to learn more.

The Care We Need. This report from the National Quality Forum recommends five strategic objectives and 10 high-impact opportunities to influence health care change. The opportunities are designed to improve the value and outcomes of care across the health care system. Transparency, reliable data and person-centered care are some of the key levers needed to acquire change. For more, visit TheCareWeNeed.org. Click here for a fact sheet.

National Hospital Quality Rankings: Improving the Value of Information in Hospital Rating Systems. This Viewpoint article from the Journal of the American Medical Association evaluates the system of hospital quality rankings and considers the need for more quality of life measures. In a post-COVID world, the authors advocate that quality rankings will need to change, with a greater emphasis on transparency, disparities and inequalities in access to care. Click here to access the journal article.

Changes in Quality of Care After Hospital Mergers and Acquisitions. This study looks at hospital acquisitions and the effect on patient experience (modestly worse) and mortality and readmission rates (not significant). There was not an observed change in quality as the findings were inconclusive. In a post-pandemic world with personnel losses through furloughs, lack of elective procedures, and potential additional consolidation, ongoing research in quality improvement will be important to monitor. Click here to access the journal article.

For more information on the Partners in Quality Subcommittee, contact ACC Advocacy's Fareen Pourhamidi (fpourham@acc.org).

Keywords: ACC Publications, Cardiology Magazine

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