Implementing quality measures for inflammatory bowel disease

Variation in care for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is present across multiple aspects of IBD management, suggesting overall poor quality of care. Quality indicators are intended to provide clear, measurable processes and outcomes of quality care. Initial sets of process and outcome measures have been developed to address areas of inconsistent care and to allow for standardized measurement of outcomes. Measures developed by the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) are intended to provide measurable standards for improvement in care. These measure sets will warrant updates overtime to best represent gaps in IBD management. Practically, implementation of quality measures may depend on the care setting and whether quality measurement and improvement can be incorporated into workflows and electronic medical records. Collaborative networks, utilization of care pathways, and standardized treatment algorithms may represent avenues for wide-scale implementation of quality improvement. Implementation efforts should assess the impact on outcomes in order to identify successful models for improvement in IBD care.