"Rheumatoid Arthritis Measures" | Arthritis Information

I wanted to share this, because it asks for public comments, but I will warn you it is pretty tricky to follow (I glazed over repeatedly....). Read the parts in blue - that seems to be the new info they are addressing, very informative. I found this through rheumatology.org:

http://www.ncqa.org/Portals/0/PublicComment/Clinician_Level/Rheumatoid_Arthritis_Measures.pdf

The blue parts are a couple pages in, and a lot of the easier to understand comments are repeated with each measure.

I hope this link works, and I hope I chose the right title for the post from all the gobbedly-gook LOL.
It is from the National Committee for Quality Assurance and the American Medical Association.

The link worked for me, but it wouldn't let me copy/paste anything, sorry.

This is where I found it on rheumatology.org:

"RA Measures Public Comment Period Now Open

The ACR is collaborating with the AMA Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement and the National Committee for Quality Assurance on the development of new RA quality indicators based in part on the revised RA guidelines. These measures are available for public comment through July 1. To review the measures and learn more about public comment, please visit the NCQA."
Suzanne2008-06-15 14:01:11This is all a part of the new updated standards they've been working on awhile. The treatment guidelines were step 1. They are also working on revised criterea for measuring improvements/remission in clinical trials/drug treatments as well as updated diagnositic criterea that should add the anti-ccp and possibly eliminate the rheumatoid factor. Did you read any of it? I didn't see any of that, and it wasn't directly related to the new treatment guidelines, either. I guess because it isn't coming out of the ACR, it is coming from the NCQA and the AMA?

I wish I could copy/paste. The first measure is TB testing before biologics; apparently it isn't being done automatically across the board.

Each measure repeats the same things in several instances - less cases of RA, according to the census, rising cost of treatment due to biologics which are used by 25% of RA patients, out of pocket expenses for Medicare patients.
Suzanne2008-06-15 15:52:42Also says the average age of persons with prevalent RA has increased steadily over time, suggesting that is becoming a disease of older adults. News to me. There was an article about all the potential updates around last years ACR's meeting. And keep in mind that almost anything proposed for any specific discipline ie rheumatology from the AMA comes first from the specialty group.

I skimmed the document...I didn't have the patience yet for the entire 47 pages. I will read it all though

Suzanne, I couldn't find where the public comments section is located. I tried paring down the link into public comments, and it said I had to be signed in. I would love to comment :) When you click on the highlight "NCQA" in my second post, this is at the top right hand corner:

Public Comment Materials

To submit comments, visit publiccomments.ncqa.org. Comments must be received by 5 p.m. (ET) July 1, 2008 to be considered.

Complete Set of Public Comment Materials

Ooh, maybe copied links will work from here!
Thanks Suzanne, I just had alot of fun you can copy paste this way:

go to Edit... select all

go back to edit.... copy

then paste.. IDK what you are specifically looking to copy or I would do it.