Facts about ORYX® for Hospitals, Core Measures and Hospital Core Measures

Introduced in February 1997, The Joint Commission’s ORYX^â initiative integrates outcomes and other performance measurement data into the accreditation process. ORYX measurement requirements are intended to support Joint Commission accredited organizations in their quality improvement efforts. In 2002, accredited hospitals began collecting data on standardized—or “core”—performance measures. In 2004, The Joint Commission and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services began working together to align measures common to both organizations. These standardized common measures, called “Hospital Quality Measures,” are integral to improving the quality of care provided to hospital patients and bringing value to stakeholders by focusing on the actual results of care. Measure alignment benefits hospitals by making it easier and less costly to collect and report data because the same data set can be used to satisfy both CMS and Joint Commission requirements.

All of the Hospital Quality Measures used by The Joint Commission and CMS are endorsed by the National Quality Forum. These measures are also utilized for the “Hospital Quality Alliance: Improving Care through Information” initiative, a voluntary public reporting initiative led by the American Hospital Association, the Federation of American Hospitals and the Association of American Medical Colleges. This initiative is supported by the Joint Commission, CMS, NQF, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, and AARP (formerly American Association of Retired Persons). Hospital Quality Measures and other core measure data are part of the priority focus process that is used by The Joint Commission to help focus on-site survey activities. These data are also publicly reported on The Joint Commission’s Quality Check® website, www.qualitycheck.org. The public availability of performance measurement data facilitates user comparisons of hospital performance and permits comparisons against overall national rates.

To view the whole article visit http://www.jointcommission.org/Accreditation
Programs/Hospitals/ORYX/oryx_facts.htm.

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