The role of medical group practice administrators in the adoption and implementation of Medicare's physicianquality reporting system.

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Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Although there are numerous studies of the factors influencing the adoption of quality assurance (QA) programs by medicalgroup practices, few have focused on the role of group practice administrators.

PURPOSE:

To gain insights into the role these administrators play in QA programs, we analyzed how medical practices adopted and implemented the Medicare Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS), the largest physician quality reporting system in the United States.

METHODOLOGY:

We conducted focus group interviews in 2011 with a national convenience sample of 76 medical group practice administrators. Responses were organized and analyzed using the innovation decision framework of Van de Ven and colleagues.

FINDINGS:

Administrators conducted due diligence on PQRS, influenced how the issue was presented to physicians for adoption, and managedimplementation thereafter. Administrators' recommendations were heavily influenced by practice characteristics, financial incentives, and practicecommitments to early adoption of quality improvement innovations. Virtually, all who attempted it agreed that PQRS was straightforward to implement. However, the complexities of Medicare's PQRS reports impeded use of the data by administrators to support quality management.

DISCUSSION:

Group practice administrators are playing a prominent role in activities related to the quality of patient care--they are not limited to the business side of the practice. Especially, as PQRS becomes more nearly universal after 2014, Medicare should take account of the role thatadministrators play, by more actively engaging administrators in shaping these programs and making it easier for administrators to use the results.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS:

More research is needed on the rapidly evolving role of nonphysician administration in medical group practices.Practice administrators have a larger role than commonly understood in how quality reporting initiatives are adopted and used and are in an exceptional position to influence the more appropriate use of these resources if supported by more useful forms of quality reporting.