Ron Ritchey, MD, MBA
Chief Medical Officer, eQHealth Solutions
Physicians across the country are letting Congress know the centralization of medical decision-making will be harmful to patients and health care quality. The removal of state-level physician oversight from health care quality improvement work that was included as an offset in the Trade Adjustment Assistance Act of 2011 (HR2832) is raising concern from national physician leaders.
The American Medical Association House of Delegates passed a resolution of support for maintaining the state-based focus of Medicare quality improvement organizations at its Interim Meeting in New Orleans earlier this month.
The local relationships that quality improvement organizations (QIOs) have with physicians and other providers are considered essential to quality improvement work. QIOs currently work with physicians practicing in the state to review the quality of care delivered by their peers. This perspective from local physicians who understand the local health care environment ensures that patients receive appropriate, quality care.
The QIO amendments in the trade legislation have opened the door for nationalization of the QIO program, which could lead to a one size fits all approach to health care quality improvement.
Physician leadership from quality improvement organizations will continue to work together with the AMA to restore local physician involvement in health care quality review.
Removing state-based structure of QIOs was one of the changes that Senate Finance Committee staff said would “streamline burdensome contract requirements in order to align QIO contracting with practices the government uses widely today.”
What do you think? Is the state-level focus unnecessary? Would centralization enhance QIOs ability to improve health care for patients?
If you are a physician, you can contact the AMA for more information or to let them know that you are concerned about this issue.
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