Panel endorses quality measures of palliative and end-of-life care
The National Quality Forum voted to endorse 14 quality measures regarding palliative and end-of-life care for patients and their families. The quality measures focus on areas of care including pain management, weight loss and depression."This measure set will help support such efforts, such as enhanced treatment of pain and other symptoms, improved communication between providers and patients, fewer admissions to emergency departments, and increased patient satisfaction," said R. Sean Morrison, M.D., director of the National Palliative Care Research Center.
The NQF Board of Directors was looking to endorse measures that could directly assess patients' and families experience over time. The panel evaluated a total of 22 measures and approved 14 of them. Any individuals who want to request reconsideration of any of the approved measures must do so before March 14. Click here for a list of the final measures.
