Appropriate Care Measure (ACM)

What is the Appropriate Care Measure (ACM)?

• A composite score of the 10 publicly reported quality improvement measures in the clinical topics of Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI), Heart Failure (HF) and Pneumonia.
  o The numerator is comprised of patients receiving all the care for which they are eligible.
  o The denominator is comprised of all patients eligible for care in at least one of the measures.
  o For example: If it is appropriate for the patient admitted with an AMI to receive aspirin, betablockers and Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors (and others as necessary), did the patient receive all the appropriate treatments? Your hospital is asked to reduce the gap of patients not receiving all appropriate care.
• See table on reverse side for ACM measures.

Why should we aggregate measures?

• Reduce mortality and morbidity by optimizing the right care for every patient every time.
• To measure the quality of care received from the patient’s perspective.

 Hospitals are currently focusing on:

Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI)

• AMI-1 Aspirin at arrival
• AMI-2 Aspirin at discharge
• AMI-3 ACEI or ARB for LVSD
• AMI- 5 Beta blockers at discharge
• AMI-6 Beta blockers at arrival

Heart Failure (HF)

• HF-2 Left ventricular function assessment
• HF-3 ACE inhibitor for left ventricular systolic dysfunction

Pneumonia

• PN-1 Oxygenation assessment
• PN-2 Pneumococcal vaccination
• PN-5b Antibiotics received within four hours of arrival

Barriers in these areas include documentation, compliance, and education. Please contact Marcy Cameron, Project Assistant, at mcameron@coqio.sdps.org or 303.695-3300, ex.3040 if you are interested in receiving presentations addressing these areas.

Participants in this project will be selected from an applicant pool of Colorado Hospitals. For more information please contact Hilarie Olson, Quality Improvement Specialist, at 303.875.6975 or holson@coqio.sdps.org.