As health care costs continue to escalate and as shortfalls in the quality of health care continue, employers and other purchasers are pursuing “quality-based purchasing” strategies. Also known as “value-based purchasing,” “performance-based purchasing,” and “pay-for-performance,” quality-based purchasing attempts to create financial incentives for clinical quality improvement and greater patient satisfaction.

Though many purchasers have begun to implement such programs, the evidence base in support of them has not been well articulated. Moreover, because the amount of hospital quality information that is being collected and publicly reported is growing rapidly, purchasers and other stakeholders need information to guide their selection and use of appropriate quality measures.

As the evidence, tools, and practical experience in quality measurement and value-based purchasing emerges, purchasers and providers seek sound guidance on whether and how to measure hospital quality, publicly report this information, and use it in pay-for-performance strategies.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is sponsoring two free Web conferences in October that will help purchasers understand the evidence base for quality-based purchasing and public reporting and increase their understanding of an important tool set available to assist with evaluations of health care quality:

Event #1:	“Paying for Performance” Thursday, October 21 2004 3:00-4:30pm EDT This event will look at the emerging evidence base for quality-based purchasing and the utility of this knowledge for implementing quality-based purchasing programs.
Event #2:	“Using AHRQ Indicators for Hospital-Level Reporting and Payment” Wednesday October 27 2004, 1:00-2:30 p.m., EDT This will convey to providers, purchasers, and policy makers guidance on the benefits and limitations of using AHRQ’s quality indicators for public reporting of quality or to inform purchasing decisions.

Together, these two Web conferences will help purchasers make well-informed decisions about whether and how to publicly report quality and pursue quality-based purchasing as a mechanism for improving quality and will help providers prepare for and participate in such efforts.

Intended Audience
These Web conferences will be of direct value to the following stakeholders:

• Employers and employer coalitions
• Health plans, insurers, and other payers
• State Medicaid Directors
• Federal purchasers, including CMS, VA, and DOD
• Federal and State policy makers
• Health care delivery systems, hospitals, physicians, and other providers
• Accreditation and other intermediary organizations

Web Conference Format

These interactive Web conferences will last 90 minutes. A panel of experts will discuss various aspects of these topics and engage the audience in a live discussion of their questions and concerns.

Participants can connect to the Web conference in three ways – via Internet only, via Internet and phone, or via phone only. Please check the table below for information on the equipment/resources you will need to participate in the Web conference by type of connection.

*The free Windows Media Player plug can be downloaded at www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download/default.asp.

All presentation slides will be available for downloading one to two days prior to the event. Detailed instructions on how and where to download the slides will be sent to you in an e-mail one to two days prior to the event. We recommend that you download and print the slides in advance, particularly if you have a slow computer or Internet connection.

Web Conference Cost

There will be no charge for participation, but we would appreciate feedback on the usefulness of this format for sharing up-to-date information on the topics that most concern you in health care delivery and policy through the post event program evaluation which will appear at the end of the session. Please invite your colleagues to join us for any or all of the calls. We encourage group participation through the use of video projectors and other shared venues.

Back to Top