Evolution of analytical tools by MediQual Systems, Inc.

Over the last two decades purchasers, both private and public, have become increasingly involved in the provision of health care. Their major concern was whether services provided were effective, efficient, and appropriate. Those concerns led to the evolution of analytical tools that do much more than compare averages, which is insufficient to assess outcomes. Analytical tools have evolved in four major areas: 1) case-mix adjustment, 2) comparative data, 3) expanded outcomes, and 4) comprehensive systems. Through 20 years of work, MediQual Systems, Inc., made continuous improvements in its outcomes measuring and reporting systems. These are incorporated in the present version of the Atlas Outcomes system. This work has not occurred in a vacuum, but has been stimulated and encouraged by practical applications such as the Central Florida Healthcare Coalition. This collaborative effort among vendor, provider, and purchaser will move the process to the next step-to build a common platform to analyze the different sets of data.