What do clinical quality measures (CQMs) primarily assess?

Clinical quality measures (CQMs) primarily assess observations or treatments related to quality aims in healthcare. These measures are designed to evaluate the effectiveness, safety, efficiency, and overall quality of healthcare delivery by focusing on specific aspects of patient care. By monitoring CQMs, healthcare organizations can identify areas for improvement, track progress over time, and ensure compliance with established benchmarks and standards.

CQMs often include indicators related to patient outcomes, adherence to clinical guidelines, and adherence to best practice protocols, which directly correlates with enhancing patient care quality and safety. This focus on quality aims helps organizations improve their practices, reduce variations in care, and ultimately deliver better healthcare outcomes for patients.

Other options, while related to healthcare, do not capture the primary purpose of CQMs. For example, financial aspects relate to the economic efficiency of care rather than its quality. Patient demographics provide context but do not measure the quality of care received. Similarly, staff performance metrics assess individual or team performance but do not directly evaluate the clinical outcomes or processes that CQMs are designed to measure.