Compliance With Prostate Cancer Quality Measures Not Tied to Patient Outcomes

Prostate cancer treatment that complied with nationally endorsed quality measures did not produce clinically relevant changes in patients’ reported outcomes, according to an AHRQ-funded study. The study included 2,600 men treated with prostate cancer therapies including surgery, radiation and active surveillance. Researchers explored whether their care complied with six nationally endorsed quality measures designed to boost effective and efficient care. Compliance ranged from 64 percent to 88 percent. Patients rated their health-related quality of life, satisfaction and treatment-related complications in the first 12 months following treatment. Researchers did not find clinically meaningful improvement in functional outcomes, satisfaction scores or treatment-related complication rates associated with adherence to the quality measures. Study authors recommended further study to identify quality measures that correlate better with patient-centered outcomes. “Impact of Adherence to Quality Measures for Localized Prostate Cancer on Patient-reported Health-related Quality of Life Outcomes, Patient Satisfaction, and Treatment-related Complications” appeared in the August issue of Medical Care. Access the abstract.

2016 Aug;54(8):738-44. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0000000000000562.

Impact of Adherence to Quality Measures for Localized Prostate Cancer on Patient-reported Health-related Quality of Life Outcomes, Patient Satisfaction, and Treatment-related Complications.

Sohn W1, Resnick MJ, Greenfield S, Kaplan SH, Phillips S, Koyama T, Goodman M, Hamilton AS, Hashibe M, Hoffman KE, Paddock LE, Stroup AM, Wu XC, Penson DF, Barocas DA.

Author information

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:

Quality measures used in pay-for-performance systems are intended to address specific qualitygoals, such as safety, efficiency, effectiveness, timeliness, equity, and patient-centeredness. Given the small number of narrowly focused measures in prostate cancer care, we sought to determine whether adherence to any of the available payer-driven qualitymeasures influences patient-centered outcomes, including health-related quality of life (HRQOL), patient satisfaction, and treatment-related complications.

METHODS:

The Comparative Effectiveness Analysis of Surgery and Radiation study is a population-based, prospective cohort study that enrolled 3708 men with clinically localized prostate cancer during 2011 and 2012, of whom 2601 completed the 1-year survey and underwent complete chart abstraction. Compliance with 6 quality indicators endorsed by national consortia was assessed. Multivariable regression was used to determine the relationship between indicator compliance and Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC-26) instrument summary scores, satisfaction scale scores (service satisfaction scale for cancer care), and treatment-related complications.

RESULTS:

Overall rates of compliance with these quality measures ranged between 64% and 88%. Three of the 6 measures were weakly associated with 1-year sexual function and bowel function scores (β=-4.6, 1.69, and 2.93, respectively; P≤0.05), whereas the remaining measures had no significant relationship with patient-reported HRQOL outcomes. Satisfaction scores and treatment-relatedcomplications were not associated with quality measure compliance.

CONCLUSIONS:

Compliance with available nationally endorsed quality indicators, which were designed to incentivize effective and efficient care, was not associated with clinically important changes in patient-centered outcomes (HRQOL, satisfaction, or complications) within 1-year.