Quality

Tracking Software Sponsors

NQMBC™ Sponsors

National Quality Measures
for Breast Centers™

Concepts and Benefits of Participation

A Quality Initiative of the
National Consortium of Breast Centers, Inc.

Overview

In 2005, The NCBC Board of Trustees adopted its fifth mission statement. This mission statement reflects NCBC’s commitment to quality breast health care provided by professionals to their patients. To move forward in this mission, the NCBC began the development of a Quality Initiative Program for breast centers, which has evolved into the National Quality Measures for Breast Centers™. This program identifies quality care measures and provides immediate access to information, that allows participating breast centers to compare their performance on these measures with that of other centers from across the country.

The National Quality Measures for Breast Centers™ Program is an interactive internet model for breast centers to enter data, filter for comparisons and receive comparison reports on breast center quality measures. It is the hope of the NCBC that the comparison reports will be used by participating breast centers to identify where quality care already exists and where quality care improvements can be made.

The NCBC will officially recognize each participant in this program as a Certified Participant in the National Quality Measures for Breast Centers™. This designation will grant eligibility to become a Certified Quality Breast Center™ and ultimately a Certified Breast Center of Excellence™. The NCBC will begin its notification of the National Quality Measures for Breast Centers™ program and its certifications to insurance companies and payers whereby they will be provided a resource to confirm quality breast care. Also within the next year, the NCBC anticipates establishing benchmarks for each of the National Quality Measures for Breast Centers™ based upon the data of participating breast centers. These benchmarks will continually be assessed and changed over time as the input data changes and the quality of care improves.

Mission
To develop a set of core measures to define, improve and sustain quality standards in breast programs and breast health care provider sites.

Philosophy
The philosophy agreed upon for this initiative includes:

	Development of a broad base collaborative with entities interested in quality care including but not limited to breast centers, associations, societies, organizations, consumers, health insurance plans and allied health entities.
	Identifying areas of interest regarding quality care in breast center environments and in breast health programs
	Development of clear and concise quality breast health care indicators
	Development of quality measures that have, for participants, an ease of responding
	Development of an interactive website that serves as a model for quality initiative programs
	Development of the NCBC Quality section of the web site to interactively interface with other quality programs
	Ensuring all web site participation will be anonymous and data will be secure and confidential
	Development of a national database of quality measures that has ease of access, participation and reporting
	Enabling voluntary participation in the National Quality Measures for Breast Centers™ Program
	Providing participation at no cost to NCBC members and non-members
	Development of national quality benchmarks for quality indicators
	Identifying resources and tools for breast centers to address quality improvement where quality measure comparisons show improvement is desired.

Definition of Quality Care
Quality care means providing the patient with accurate evaluation and appropriate services with compassion in a technically competent and timely manner, with good communication and shared decision making in a culturally sensitive fashion.

Participants
Participation is by breast center site. Any breast center may choose to participate. If the breast center is part of a hospital system, any one, all or select breast center sites may participate. Each participating breast center must designate a contact person for this initiative. The breast center does not need to be a member of NCBC; however, benefits of participation will vary for members and non-members.

Definition of Breast Health Care Provider Sites
A physical setting where breast health care services are provided. Breast health care services may be a part of the patient services offered or may be the only patient service offered at that site. The physical setting may be, but is not limited to, part of a hospital setting, medical clinic, research center, cancer center or women's wellness center. The setting may also be a building or office separate from any of the above. For the purpose of the NCBC Quality Initiative, any site that provides breast health care services will be included in the definition of a "breast center" which will encompass all sites where breast care services are provided.

Benefits of Participation
Participants choosing to participate in this initiative will be:

1) voluntary participants in a national quality documentation program;

2) able to to compare themselves with all other NCBC Quality Initiative participants;

3) able to compare themselves with other participants based upon selection filters to identify "like" centers;

4) able to input, track and measure NCBC quality measure responses over time;

5) able to view data in a multi-year format;

6) able to immediately view comparison reports

7) able to have a hard copy of all comparison reports for administrative purposes

8) able to self- monitor quality measures on the NCBC web site

9) officially recognized as a Certified Participant in the National Quality Measures for Breast Centers™

10) granted eligibility to become a Certified Quality Breast Center™ and ultimately a Certified Breast Center of Excellence™.

11) provided a press release to participating centers to promote their participation in their market area showing the institution’s willingness to voluntarily participate in a program to evaluate and improve the breast healthcare provided to their patients; and

12) able to compare themselves against a national benchmark.

Quality Measures

The National Quality Measures for Breast Centers™. were developed by referencing the the Health Care Advisory Board's Clinical Quality Dash Board for breast centers published in the Fall of 2004. The National Quality Measures for Breast Centers™ reflect more than two years of work. This has culminated with the adoption of more than 33 National Quality Measures for Breast Centers™. The measures developed to date, are released as Phase II Parts 1 - 4.

Input Forms

Phase I is the Profile Input Form. It gathers profile information on participating breast centers. The profile information is used by participating centers in the filtering of data submitted . The filtering of data allows a comparison of indicator data for "like" type facilities in addition to a comparison of indicator data for all participating facilities. Each participant is required to supply answers to three profile questions. The additional profile questions may be answered at the time of initial participation or at a later date.

Phase II has 4 Parts. Each Part in Phase II contains 10 or less quality indicators for ease in responding and to make data entry more manageable. Participants may choose to respond to all quality indicators or select quality indicators. However, only those indicators for which you supplied data will you have access to their results for comparisons. Data for quality indicators is time sensitive which will allow you to view your results over time.

Comparison Reports

Participants choose their types of comparison reports and may compare their breast center with other centers with a similar profile. For example you may want to compare an indicator’s value against only those who do around the same volume of annual mammograms you do. You just choose the appropriate filter and the report will reflect the data per indicator chosen for those centers only. You may choose to compare yourself with all centers that provided data on a quality indicator. Just click on the aggregate box and this report will be generated for you.

How to Use Comparison Report Information
The reports generated can be printed and used with your administration or even in your marketing efforts. This is a great way to show your center is interested in the quality of their patients by participating in the Quality Initiative with centers across the country and by showing that continuous attention is being paid to measure quality and take steps to improve or maintain performance.