What prompted you to get involved in the Quality and Performance Improvement (QPI) Committees?
Raj Shah, MD, FSIR: Several years ago, I became interested in harnessing data to impact outcomes. Early on, I recognized the challenge in using narrative data and joined the Standardized Reporting Committee to help obtain higher quality data. That soon led to developing Physicians Quality Reporting System and Merit-based Incentive Payment System (PQRS/MIPS) measures and eventually to chairing the QPI Committee. Throughout this process, I have been interested in strengthening IR by leveraging data to improve quality and outcomes. As a result, my goal and vision for the QPI Division has been to create a robust, high-quality clinical data registry and to leverage that data to improve the quality of care that is delivered in IR.
Resmi Charalel, MD: I became involved in the QPI committee to contribute to quality improvement for our specialty as a whole. I had been involved in quality improvement committees on a local level and was excited to figure out how to support such local committees by providing resources using data from a larger, national perspective. I look forward to working with the QPI committees to harness our registry data so that we can demonstrate the quality care that interventional radiologists provide across the country.
Drew Caplin, MD, FSIR: I regard my involvement with the QPI committee as an essential part of my career. I have been involved in organized radiology as a member of multiple societal committees in different capabilities since Residency. Additionally, I have served on the local QI committee. However, when I first entered practice I prioritized my own personal clinical development. After a few years, I focused on personal efficiency, quality and honing my clinical and technical skills. In recent years I’ve looked outward and focused my efforts on improving quality of education and clinical care for all IRs. I feel fortunate for the opportunity to join the QPI committee at a time where SIR was redefining it commitment to quality, I was looking for a way to give back to the specialty in a meaningful way. I am honored to have the opportunity to be part of SIR Quality team during this exciting time.
What are the goals of the division?
The SIR QPI committee is charged with providing quality benchmarks, measures and performance improvement tools for minimally invasive, image-guided procedures to improve patient outcomes. The committee collects, curates and disseminates data that promotes the value of IR to the broader health care system and develops minimum quality standards for the membership.
What is a clinical data registry?
A clinical data registry is defined by the NIH as a collection of information about individuals, usually focused around a specific diagnosis or condition. It is a database that records information about the health status of patients and the health care they receive over varying periods of time. This data can be local, regional or at the national level. Clinical data registries typically focus on patients who share a common reason for needing health care. For IRs, it will allow us to understand treatment availability and how patients with different characteristics respond to various treatments. This information can be used to inform patients and IRs as they decide the best course of treatment and to improve care for patients in the future. Information from registries may also be used to compare the performance of health care providers about their outcomes and other metrics.
Why are we developing a data registry?
Having data to measure and improve the quality and safety of the care that IRs provide to their patients is critical. Currently, available data is very limited to compare the effectiveness of different IR treatments or techniques. Registries could facilitate the collection of data relevant to monitoring the safety of devices and developing payment guidelines for quality of care adjustments. Additionally, such information could help patients make informed treatment and provider choices for their care. As an organization, SIR can use this critical information to help support health care education, accreditation and certification.
As patient-reported outcomes (PROs) become more critical in understanding the outcomes of treatments, registries can help providers to understand the national history of disease, improve quality and compare effectiveness.1 In addition, a quality data registry will have the ability to collect real-life data at the point of care. Such real-world data can enable rapid learning and dissemination of best practices at a faster pace than what is traditionally derived from clinical research such as randomized controlled trials (RCTs) where it may take years for findings to translate into practice.
What is the role of the QPI Committee?
The QPI division (and its relevant committees) will be the primary entity to oversee the development, implementation and use of the quality registry as well as other quality improvement efforts at SIR. This group will ensure that the registry is well maintained and meets the needs of the membership.
When will members be able to participate?
Members can participate now by encouraging their local institutions to participate in the registry. Additionally, members can volunteer for the QPI committees to help improve the structure of the registry and harness its available data to support QI efforts for our specialty. Participation in the registry is scheduled to begin early summer 2020.
For more information, contact:
Raj Shah, MD, FSIR–Chair, QPI Division rajshah@stanford.edu
Resmi Charalel, MD, MPH–Chair, QDAC Committee rcharalel@gmail.com
Drew Caplin, MD, FSIR–Chair, PICC Committee DCaplin@northwell.edu
Zuhal Haidari, MPH–SIR Director, Quality and Performance Improvement zhaidari@sirweb.org
Reference
1. Gliklich RE, Dreyer NA, Leavy MB. Registries for Evaluating Patient Outcomes: A user’s guide, 3rd Edition. Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, 2014.
