Linking Quality Measures to Guideline Recommendations in Allergy-Immunology: Challenges and Opportunities: A Workgroup Report of the AAAAI Measures Stewardship Committee.

Abstract

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology and the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters (JTFPP) produces guidelines applying the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations framework of evidence appraisal. Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations recommendations can be strong or conditional and in favor or against a specific action. Strong recommendations may serve as quality measures. Conditional recommendations serve as a navigational signal for shared decision making. The mission of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Measures Stewardship Committee is to evaluate the quality of care provided to patients in Allergy-Immunology. Clear, accurate, and just quality measurement programs are important not only for clinical care but also for financial payments that exist in the United States based on these measures. Allergy-Immunology has yet to secure a "home" in modern quality measures reporting, because redesigned public and private reimbursement frameworks have not included dedicated measures for our specialty. The goals of this report were to (1) link Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters guideline recommendations with existing quality measures and (2) identify opportunities for the development, prioritization, validation, and implementation of quality measures that are both patient-centered and responsive to the needs of Allergy-Immunology specialists.