Quality measures are used to gauge how well an entity provides care to its patients. Measures are based on scientific evidence and can reflect guidelines, standards of care, or practice parameters. A quality measure converts medical information from patient records into a rate or percentage that allows facilities to assess their performance.

Quality measures are used in several activities under the Centers for Medicare & Medcaid Services' (CMS') Hospital Quality Initiative (HQI), most notably for the Hospital Compare website.  The measures currently reported on Hospital Compare have undergone years of extensive testing for validity and reliability by CMS, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and the quality improvement and research communities.  These measures are endorsed by the National Quality Forum, a private, not-for-profit membership organization created to develop and implement a national strategy for healthcare quality measurement and reporting.

For the full set of specifications, please see www.qualitynet.org.