In the fall of 2008, The National Quality Forum initiated a Perinatal Care Project designed to identify perinatal measures that will assess the quality of perinatal care.

The National Quality Forum invited the submission of performance measures from interested parties throughout the country. Twenty-three measures were submitted and the Steering Committee endorsed 17 of the twenty-three.

NPIC/QAS Stewardship

Two of the 17 endorsed measureswere submitted jointly with NPIC/QAS: Appropriate Use of Antenatal Steroids and the Incidence of Episiotomy. NQF requires the submitters of each measure to take "stewardship" of the measure providing current updates to all changes in the clinical definition via an available URL.

Mark Tomlinson, MD, Regional Director of Obstetrics Services, Providence Health Systems, Portland, OR in conjunction with the National Perinatal Information Center/Quality Analytic Services (NPIC/QAS) submitted one of the endorsed measure: Appropriate Use of Antenatal Steroids.

Matthew K. Hoffman, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Linda Daniel, RN, MSN, Director Performance Improvement and Care Management for the Women's & Children Service Line at Christiana Care Health Services, Newark, DE in conjunction with the National Perinatal Information Center/Quality Analytic Services (NPIC/QAS) submitted another endorsed measure: Incidence of Episiotomy.

Both measures were given a two year time-limited endorsement. During this period the measure "stewards" will field test the measures to demonstrate the reliability and validity of the data as well as the fact that outcomes do not vary by patient characteristics.

If you have any questions regarding these measures or the NQF Perinatal Project, please e-mail Janet Muri, President NPIC/QAS, or call 401-274-0650.

Posted: May 22, 2009