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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 164 / Friday, August 27, 2021 / Notices The COVID-19 pandemic, a national priority, underscored the immense need to work collaboratively to raise healthcare quafty to the next level through measurable health Improvements. NQF received funding for a series of projects that would help to tackle some of the challenges highlighted as a result of the pandemic.These projects focused on addressing the opioid-related outcome, attribution-critical Illness and Injury, arid Identifying best practices fordevelopfng and testing risk adjustment models. CMS
anti NQF together have recognized the neec:i to further address these topic areas andwlll continue to work together to address some Imrnedtate challenges to pave the way to dose these gal areas.
This year, NQF sought to maintain a coordhiated effort across public and private payers by facilitating alignment through the development and adoption of core measure sets; as well as expanding the cllnlcal topics during 1020 to fnclude behavfbral health and neurology, .The increased reliance upon performance measures has led to expanS1on.1n the number of measures being used and an Increase In burden -0n providers collecting the data, confusion among consumers and purchasers seeing conflicting measure results, and operational difficulties arnong payers.
NQ.Fs Measure Applfcatlons Partnership MAl>ls composed ofstakeholders from across the healthcare system, including patients; clinicians; providers, purchasers,and payers, who continue to recommend measures for use in federal programs and provide strategic: guidance. Through Its eight.years of prerulemaklng reviews, MAP has aimed to 1.ower costs while Improving.quality, promotethe use of meaningful measures, reduce the burden of measurement by promoting alignment and avoiding unnecessary data colfectlcm, and empower patlents to become actlve consumers by ensuring they have the Information necessary to supportthelr healthcare decisions. MAPS work that concluded In. 2020
Included a review of 18 performance measures under consideration for use In nine HHS quality reporting and vatuebased payment programs coverfng cl!nlcian, hospital, and postacute/long-tenn care settings.
NQFs work in evolving the science of performance measurement has also expanded over the years, arid recent projects focus on challenges that stand In the w.ay ofachfevlng high value outcome and cost measures, as well as brfogllig new. kinds of providers Into accountability programs,
NQf continued to bring together exlerts through rnultlstakeholder committees to identifyevidencebased performance measures. NQFs work to review and endorse perfonnance measures provides stakeholders with valuable lnformatlon to Improve care delivery and transform the healthcare system.
NQF-endorsed measures enable healthcare providers to understand if they are providing high quality care and where Improvement efforts remain. NQF maintains a portfolio of evidence-based measures that address a wide range of cllnlcal and crqss"-CL!ttlng topic areas. In 2020, NQF endorsed 84 measures across cycles for each of the 14 topic areas. In addition, NQFs Standing committees surfaced Important measurementgaps ln areas such as behavioral health and substance. use arid perinatal and womens health. NQF remains commlttedto ensurlngthe endorsement process ls transparent and objective through thelwo-cycle review that occurs every year.

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NQF alSt> undertook several project$ In 2020 to create strategic approaches; or frameworks, to measure quality In areas.crltlcal to lmprovlog health and healthcare. These projects spanned across several toPicS; including maternal health, person-centered planning, improving EH-sourced rnures, rural health, c:ros1ng the measure feedback !Op, PROs, common formats for-patient safety, and reducing diagnostic: error,