Closing the gap in children's quality measures: a collaborative model.

The need for measures of the quality of healthcare provided to children and adolescents is well documented. However, children have been underrepresented in national healthcare quality measurement and reporting efforts. The Pediatric Data Quality Systems (Pedi-QS) Collaborative is addressing this gap. Two consensus measure sets and an assessment of nursing-sensitive indicators in pediatric care have been produced through the collaborative. The framework and measure set development process are described. Lessons learned from applying the process are summarized, and future directions are suggested. Voluntary collaborative efforts are vital for advancing children's measures, and national support and funding are also needed.