What is the importance of core measures

The purpose of the EMS system core measures project is to increase the accessibility and accuracy of pre-hospital data for public, policy, academic and research purposes to facilitate EMS system evaluation and improvement through a grant from the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF). Ultimately, the project will highlight opportunities to improve the quality of patient care delivered within an EMS system.

What are Core Measures?

The preliminary Core Measures were derived largely from a set of quality indicators developed through a project by the National Quality Forum. These core measures will begin to benchmark the performance of EMS systems, perform recommended treatments determined to get the best results for patients with certain medical conditions, and transport patients to the most appropriate hospital. Information about these treatments are taken from the pre-hospital care reports and converted into a percentage.

The measures are based on scientific evidence about processes and treatments that are known to get the best results for a condition or illness. Core Measures help emergency medical services systems improve the quality of patient care by focusing on the actual results of care.

Importance of Core Measures

Emergency medical services systems across the state will be measured and compared on their performance in these Core Measures. There will be a delay between when data is reported from EMS systems and when it is available for review. This is because EMSA will have to wait for all local systems in the state to be compiled before it can post its quality data for a given period. This way, EMS systems and consumers can compare California program from the same time period.

In the future, EMS providers should utilize these core measures to assist in continuous quality improvement activities.

System Evaluation

The recurring themes, in evaluation of the EMS system, using these core measures consist of:

• Arrival at the scene in a timely manner
• Accurate patient assessment
• Delivery of time-sensitive pre-hospital therapy
• Transport to a hospital capable of providing necessary care

Most Recent Release of the Core Quality Measures Annual Report

Core Quality Measures Report on 2021 Data (Most Current Report)

Core Measures Annual Reports from previous years.

Current Version of the EMS Core Quality Measures Instruction Manual (EMSA Publication SYS 100-11) – 2022-2023 Data (Updated November 2022) (PDF)

Snapshot: This document provides an overview of the Joint Commision’s “Core Measures,” including a definition of what they are and abbreviated guidelines to what Core Measures mandate in various clinical areas.

Jump to:

What Are Core Measures? Why Should I Care About Core Measures? Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) Heart Failure (HF) Pneumonia (PN) Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP) Hospital Outpatients (HOP)

Core measures are national standards of care for common conditions. These standards are based on research, reduce patient complications and improve outcomes. Learning a hospital’s core measure compliance helps patients understand how their hospital compares to its competitors. Core measure compliance shows how often a hospital provides the recommended treatment for these common conditions — hospitals with higher compliance often produce better patient outcomes.

Core measures focus on four sets of criteria:

• Research — providing patient care supported by strong scientific evidence
• Proximity — offering care with few “pit stops” between diagnosis and improved patient outcomes
• Accuracy — measuring the effectiveness and efficiency of care to help make positive outcomes more likely
• Adverse effects — reducing or eliminating the potential for negative side effects during care delivery

How Are We Doing?

Each of our hospitals reports our core measure compliance to The Joint Commission and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and we make our results available to the public:

• Central Maine Medical Center
• Bridgton Hospital
• Rumford Hospital

Constant Improvement

Central Maine Healthcare has worked to improve core measure performance in several areas with remarkable results. Most recently, CMMC, Bridgton Hospital and Rumford Hospital have created multidisciplinary stroke and sepsis teams that include physicians, nurses, pharmacists and more. The sepsis team has followed the recommendations of the Surviving Sepsis Campaign, a global initiative to reduce mortality related to sepsis — a life-threatening reaction to infection. Compliance percentages for the core measures for sepsis care have steadily increased since 2015. CMMC ranks at 77%, Bridgton Hospital at 87%, and Rumford Hospital at 66%. For comparison, the average score in the state of Maine is 62%, and the national average is only 59%.

Q&A With System Director of Rehabilitative and Orthopedic Services, Elizabeth Turcotte, MSN, RN-BC, ONC

Improving core measures in the treatment of stroke has been one area that CMH has made a priority. Our multidisciplinary stroke team regularly reviews scientific literature to identify and implement best practices in treating stroke quickly while also reviewing every case to determine if processes need to change.

“As stroke coordinator, I ensure that our team implements and follows the most up-to-date standards of stroke care,” says. Elizabeth Turcotte, MSN, RN-BC, ONC “Core measures ensure we provide the highest quality of care to promote positive outcomes. They provide a cohesive framework based on national recommendations, providing clear guidance and unifying patient care.”

Core measures also ensure consistency with medication, imaging, treatment and follow up, Turcotte adds.

“My goal is to ensure our Stroke Program functions at an optimal level,” she says.  “I work with staff, outlying providers, patients and the community to provide education, quality improvement and resources for this potentially debilitating condition.”

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