WORKING FORUM ON OUTCOMES (WFO) AND QUALITY OF CARE

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Quality outcome research is a developing science which encompasses structure and process. It is an area of health services research that has applications in all settings across a continuum of care, and it focuses on improving the quality of the population's health. The overall goal of the proposed conference is to provide incentives, opportunities and practical advice to encourage Peer Review Organization (PRO) professionals, health services researchers, and private and government payor and providers, to work together on a common quality of care research agenda. Creating opportunities for quality outcome research and evaluation of the linkages between structure, process, and patient outcomes have secured national and government interest as never before. Over the past four years AMRRC has continuously developed the theme of outcome monitoring, measurement, assessment, and evaluation. AMRRC's major functions in this conference are to identify participants, to formulate and finalize the conference structure, to be a link between the participating organizations, and to disseminate proceedings. AMRRC's mission as a research center encompasses interpretation of significant quality of care research issues and dissemination of those findings. Also, over the past five years, the objectives of the PROs have broadened in focus from a program devoted only to cost containment, to the incorporation of quality and utilization monitoring for necessity, appropriateness, effectiveness and outcomes. Their most recent objectives are to have a positive impact on patient outcomes and overall health. Consensus exists that the focus cannot be on cost containment without quality. As for the health services research community, they have been involved in quality issues for more than three decades. Much of the current knowledge, methods in quality and cost containment field come from NCHSR funded projects. While PROS, researchers, and payors and providers have focused on monitoring and evaluating the processes contributing to the quality of medical care in general, they have not shared their common interests or explored the potential results of collaboration. The American health care system and beneficiaries will benefit the most from the cooperative efforts of these Communities especially since they have a common mission to improve the quality of healthcare. The objectives of the Working Forum on Outcomes (WFO) and Quality of Care are: 1) to review and discuss an innovative approaches to patient quality outcome research and selection of promising quality review and evaluation techniques for application; 2) to establish the basis of plans for products that can be translated and widely applied both in the research and non-research communities. The design of the forum will be a small interactive group format with very structured tasks. The participants' understanding of each other's priorities, concerns, and available resources will be enhanced. The forum and proceedings will assist participants in preparing realistic research designs in the area of quality outcome and effectiveness research.