Introduction to Quality Initiatives

Federal and state agencies and medical associations, such as the AAOS, have been involved in initiatives to assure high quality, cost effective health care for all Americans through accountability and public disclosure.

The various quality initiatives touch every aspect of the healthcare system. Some initiatives focus on developing evidence-based performance measures, publicly reporting quality measures, reducing medical errors through the use of health information technology, and cost efficient approaches to managing health care. AAOS members are encouraged to participate in the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) by reporting quality measure information to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) about specific services frequently provided to Medicare patients with certain medical conditions. In 2009, e-prescribing, a prescriber's ability to electronically send an accurate, error-free and understandable prescription directly to a pharmacy from the point-of-care, became a stand-alone quality initiative.

Learn more about these quality initiatives

• Physician Quality Reporting Initiative
• E-Prescribing
• Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement
• AAOS-AAOE Special Open Door Forum Announcement