Design and Implementation of the Pediatric Quality Measures Program 2.0

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Health Services Research
• Health Quality Improvement Science
• Healthcare Policy and Management

Background:

• Established by the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009, the Pediatric Quality Measures Program (PQMP) aims to improve child healthcare quality.
• The PQMP 2.0 initiative builds upon previous efforts, focusing on systematic evaluation and enhancement of pediatric quality measures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the structure and components of the Pediatric Quality Measures Program (PQMP) 2.0.
• To outline the process of assessing the usability and feasibility of pediatric quality measures through implementation and quality improvement initiatives.
• To detail the collaborative efforts and products developed to support the uptake of PQMP measures and inform future work.

Main Methods:

• Awarded grants to six Centers of Excellence (COEs) and a facilitating contract to promote collaboration.
• COEs partnered with diverse stakeholders (state, health plan, hospital, provider, family) for real-world measure testing and refinement.
• The PQMP Learning Collaborative (PQMP-LC) conducted literature reviews, interviews, and data collection to develop reports and toolkits.

Main Results:

• Developed a priori research questions (Research Foci) to guide measure assessment.
• Field-tested pediatric quality measures and quality improvement initiatives across multiple stakeholder levels.
• Created implementation science framework, analysis, roadmap, and dissemination products to support measure uptake.

Conclusions:

• PQMP 2.0 provides a structured approach to evaluating and improving pediatric quality measures.
• Collaborative partnerships and stakeholder engagement are crucial for successful measure implementation and refinement.
• The program's products aim to enhance the use of quality measures and guide future pediatric healthcare improvement efforts.