Jump to comment:
- Page navigation anchor for RE:Measuring what really matters—Screening in primary careRE:Measuring what really matters—Screening in primary care
We wish to thank Bell NR et al (1) for their article in the November issue of Canadian Family Physician. This informative article captures key considerations when developing quality indicators or performance measures for primary care to support quality improvement initiatives.
The authors reference the mammogram screening indicator definition featured in Health Quality Ontario (now part of Ontario Health)’s MyPractice: Primary Care report technical appendix:
“The Health Quality Ontario “MyPractice: Primary Care report technical appendix,” version 4, provides an example of a performance measure for screening with mammography. This was defined as the “percentage of screen eligible female patients aged 52 to 69 years who had a mammogram within the past two years.” However, for most screening maneuvers there is a narrow trade-off between the potential for benefit and the potential for harm. (page 791).”
Ontario Health, the government agency responsible for ensuring Ontarians receive high-quality health care services where and when they need them, agrees that benefits of mammograms in this age group may not always outweigh potential harms for breast cancer screening. Moreover, we fully acknowledge the critical role patient values, preferences and choice contribute to clinical care. Ontario Health uses administrative databases to generate the MyPractice: Primary Care reports to minimize the burden of new data collection, understanding these databases do not...
Show MoreCompeting Interests: None declared.