BACKGROUND: Although hundreds of quality indicators (QIs) have been developed for various chronic conditions, QIs specific to multiple sclerosis (MS) care have only recently been developed. We sought to examine the extent to which the self-reported care of individuals with MS meets four recently developed MS QIs related to treatment of depression, spasticity, and fatigue and timely initiation of disease-modifying agents (DMAs) for relapsing MS. METHODS: Using the Sonya Slifka Study data, we examined the proportion of the MS population meeting four QIs (based on patient-reported data) in a sample of individuals with MS in 2007-2009. For the three diagnoses, meeting the QI was defined as receiving appropriate medication or seeing a provider for treatment of the diagnosis; for timely initiation, it was defined as receiving a DMA within 3 months of a relapsing MS diagnosis. We also examined differences in characteristics between respondents who met the QI versus those who did not. RESULTS: Approximately two-thirds of people with MS in this sample, per the predefined criteria, met the QIs for treatment of depression, management of spasticity, and DMA initiation within 3 months of a relapsing diagnosis, and approximately one-fifth met the QI for management of fatigue. There were some significant differences in characteristics between respondents who met the QIs and those who did not. CONCLUSIONS: This study examined a subset of MS QIs based on patient-reported data. Additional data sources are needed to fully assess compliance with MS QIs.
BACKGROUND: Although hundreds of quality indicators (QIs) have been developed for various chronic conditions, QIs specific to multiple sclerosis (MS) care have only recently been developed. We sought to examine the extent to which the self-reported care of individuals with MS meets four recently developed MS QIs related to treatment of depression, spasticity, and fatigue and timely initiation of disease-modifying agents (DMAs) for relapsing MS. METHODS: Using the Sonya Slifka Study data, we examined the proportion of the MS population meeting four QIs (based on patient-reported data) in a sample of individuals with MS in 2007-2009. For the three diagnoses, meeting the QI was defined as receiving appropriate medication or seeing a provider for treatment of the diagnosis; for timely initiation, it was defined as receiving a DMA within 3 months of a relapsing MS diagnosis. We also examined differences in characteristics between respondents who met the QI versus those who did not. RESULTS: Approximately two-thirds of people with MS in this sample, per the predefined criteria, met the QIs for treatment of depression, management of spasticity, and DMA initiation within 3 months of a relapsing diagnosis, and approximately one-fifth met the QI for management of fatigue. There were some significant differences in characteristics between respondents who met the QIs and those who did not. CONCLUSIONS: This study examined a subset of MS QIs based on patient-reported data. Additional data sources are needed to fully assess compliance with MS QIs.
Authors: D S Goodin; E M Frohman; G P Garmany; J Halper; W H Likosky; F D Lublin; D H Silberberg; W H Stuart; S van den Noort Journal: Neurology Date: 2002-01-22 Impact factor: 9.910
Authors: Eric M Cheng; Carolyn J Crandall; Christopher T Bever; Barbara Giesser; Jodie K Haselkorn; Ron D Hays; Paul Shekelle; Barbara G Vickrey Journal: Mult Scler Date: 2010-06-18 Impact factor: 6.312
Authors: J Bradford Rice; Mary P Panaccio; Alan White; Mark Simes; Emma Billmyer; Nathaniel Downes; John Niewoehner; George J Wan Journal: Neurol Ther Date: 2020-11-10