Applying HEDIS clinical measures to community health centers: a feasibility study.

Since participation in managed care is critical for community health centers' (CHCs) survival, centers must demonstrate their good performance to purchasers (e.g., state Medicaid agencies) and health plans. Such measures also can contribute to quality improvement. Ideally, the effort would use measures and methods widely recognized in the managed care industry, logically the Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set (HEDIS). This article summarizes a feasibility study of applying HEDIS clinical measures to CHCs as providers. It finds that, with concerted, well-directed efforts, it will be possible to use clinical HEDIS measures in health centers.