Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement

Study finds no quality differences between participating and non-participating hospitals.

A new study suggests quality improvement organizations might do little to actually improve Medicare beneficiaries' quality of care.

Reason: Hospitals participating in QIO programs had no statistically significant differences in quality-of-care improvements than non-participating hospitals, according to a Journal of the American Medical Association study released June 15. Study: Very Little Change Over Long Haul Although participating and non-participating hospitals began with many differences, the follow-up study revealed that their rates of change over two to three years were nearly the same, the study finds.

The study collected data from four QIOs in Maryland, Nevada, Utah, Washington, the District of Columbia and New York. The study compared baseline data from 1998 to follow-up data from 2000 and 2001.

The study used 15 quality indicators in five clinical areas to compare quality improvements. In 1998, participating hospitals performed significantly better than non-participating hospitals on three out of the 15 indicators, but participating and non-participating hospitals showed no significant differences in quality improvements on 14 of the 15 indicators in the follow-up study.

To read the study, go to http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/293/23/2900.