There are times and places we can all remember when the smallest detail made the biggest difference.  This is the thought I have when I think about Clinical Quality Measures.  As defined by CMS, “A clinical quality measure is a mechanism used for assessing the degree to which a provider competently and safely delivers clinical services that are appropriate for the patient in an optimal timeframe.” Among the reasons why these measures are important to CMS, “CQMs help identify areas that require improvement in care delivery, identify differences in care among various populations, and may improve care coordination between health care providers.” [i]

The beauty of computers, well actually the functional benefit of them, is the ability to rapidly analyze data and present it to the user.   This can be an effective tool in managing patient care.  The problem arises when the data presentation is so frequent that it becomes routine or overwhelming.

Don’t worry there aren’t any plans to have Snookie and The Situation start dictating US healthcare policy just yet.  We’ll leave them free to focus on their spray-tans, fist pumping, and never ending drama.  However Uncle Sam is calling on New Jersey primary care providers to join the fight in transforming the future of primary care.