Consensus quality indicators for monitoring multiple sclerosis

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Autoimmune Diseases
• Healthcare Quality Improvement

Background:

• Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, autoimmune central nervous system disease with complex management.
• Current MS care lacks standardized, individualized monitoring strategies and quality indicators (QIs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically develop transparent, measurable, and traceable quality indicators for monitoring multiple sclerosis patient care.
• To establish a structured framework for assessing and enhancing the quality of care throughout the MS treatment journey.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review and expert discussions to identify and refine existing QIs.
• A two-stage online Delphi process involving 24 MS specialists to evaluate and finalize the QIs.
• Development of checklists to accompany the QIs for practical quality assessment.

Main Results:

• A comprehensive set of 24 quality indicators (QIs) for multiple sclerosis monitoring was developed.
• The QIs were evaluated for content, clarity, and intelligibility by experienced MS specialists.
• The finalized QIs and checklists provide a structured approach for quality assessment in MS care.

Conclusions:

• The developed QIs offer a standardized method for documenting and monitoring the quality of care for people with MS.
• Implementation of these QIs can lead to more strategic and individualized patient management.
• This framework aims to enhance the overall quality of care for individuals throughout their multiple sclerosis treatment journey.