Quality improvement in neurology: Multiple sclerosis quality measures

All clinicians believe they provide quality care, yet most clinicians do not directly measure quality parameters in their practice to provide verifiable health care outcomes.1 Quality measures related to a chronic disease provide reportable and repeatable measures that can either document performance of quality care or identify gaps in care for future action/improvement. Disease-specific quality measures in neurology provide a framework that can assist clinicians in practice measurement and modification; these have the potential to benefit both subspecialist and generalist alike. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a common, chronic, and ultimately disabling disease with multiple potential clinical intervention points during its course. It is therefore appropriate to have quality measures specific for this condition that span the course of the disease. The authors thank the Multiple Sclerosis Quality Measurement Set Work Group members for their dedication, time, energy, contributions, and work that supported the development of this article: Christopher Bever, MD, MBA, FAAN (American Academy of Neurology); Alexander Rae-Grant, MD, FRCP(C) (American Academy of Neurology); Barbara Giesser, MD, FAAN (American Academy of Neurology); Douglas Jeffery, MD, PhD (American Academy of Neurology); Mitch Wallin, MD, MPH (American Academy of Neurology); Mary Alissa Willis, MD (American Academy of Neurology); K. Rao Poduri, MD, FAAPMR (American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation); Patricia Pagnotta, MSN, ARNP, CNRN, MSCN (American Association of Neuroscience Nurses); Carrie Sammarco, DrNP, FNP-C, MSCN (American Academy of Nurse Practitioners); Virgil Mathiowetz, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA (American Occupational Therapy Association); Amy Yorke, PT, PhD, NCS (American Physical Therapy Association); Melanie Schwarz, MD (American Psychiatric Association); Victor Mark, MD (American Society of Neurorehabilitation); Ronald Koenig, MD, FAAN (Anthem); John DeLuca, PhD (National Academy of Neuropsychology); June Halper, MSN, APN-C, MSCN, FAAN (Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers); Cindy Richman (Multiple Sclerosis Association of America); Annette Okai, MD (Multiple Sclerosis Foundation); Nicholas LaRocca, PhD (National Multiple Sclerosis Society); William MacNally, MHA, FACHE (National Multiple Sclerosis Society–Midwest Chapter); Eric Cheng, MD, MS, FAAN (American Academy of Neurology Facilitator); Michael Phipps, MD, MHS (American Academy of Neurology Facilitator); Amy E. Sanders, MD, MS (American Academy of Neurology Facilitator); Amy Bennett, JD (American Academy of Neurology staff); Gina Gjorvad (American Academy of Neurology staff); Erin Hagen (American Academy of Neurology staff); Becky Schierman, MPH (American Academy of Neurology staff).