| Chair | Katie Artis, MD, MPH | Portland, OR |
| Vice Chair | Robert C. Stansbury, MD, ATSF, FAASM | Morgantown, WV |
| Committee Member | Barbara E. Jones, MD, MSc | Salt Lake City, UT |
| Committee Member | Dana P. Albon, MD, ATSF | Charlottesville, VA |
| Committee Member | Gautam George, MD | Philadelphia, PA |
| Committee Member | Jeffrey Sippel, MD, MPH | Aurora, CO |
| Committee Member | Jennifer W. Mccallister, MD, ATSF | Columbus, OH |
| Committee Member | Jihane A. Faress, MD | Moreland Hills, OH |
| Committee Member | Jing Wang, MD | New York, NY |
| Committee Member - Immediate Past Chair | Laura C. Feemster, MSc, MD | Seattle, WA |
| Committee Member | Layla Sankari, MD | Cleveland, OH |
| Committee Member | Rana B. Hejal, MD | Cleveland, OH |
| Committee Member | Richa Nahar, MBBS, MD | Wood-ridge, NJ |
| Committee Member | Scott A. Helgeson, MD, MS | Jacksonville, FL |
| Committee Member | Shewit Giovanni, MD, MSCE | Portland, OR |
| Staff | Joseph Ruminjo | New York, NY |
The Quality Improvement and Implementation Committee serves as a resource for the ATS regarding quality and performance improvement and measurement. It seeks to ensure that ATS is involved in these activities in a way that creates value for ATS members and advances the practice of quality improvement in the fields of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine. The function of this Committee has additional significance as the new health care legislation takes effect and quality and performance standards are put forward that affect ATS members. Its scope broadly includes identification and recommendations relating to safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of health care delivery. It provides recommendations concerning how quality standards should be implemented in the care setting and performance measures. The Committee evaluates existing quality standards related to Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, examines existing practice guidelines to identify potentially new standards for quality practice, and identifies the need for new guidelines. Its ultimate goal is to improve the outcomes of care through improvements in clinical practice. This committee considers opportunities for ATS participation in performance improvement movements in order to advance the quality and science behind performance improvement and provide a service to ATS members, patients, and the public in this area. The Committee helps ATS take a leading role in relevant quality improvement research through independent and collaborative research programs and support of the science of quality improvement research and value-based incentives.
Benchmarks, 2025-2026:
- Explore feasibility of new performance measure development via inter-professional society collaboration and/or external funding for Pulmonary Rehabilitation for Chronic Respiratory disease, Lung Protective Ventilation for ARDS and Spirometry & Long-acting Bronchodilator use for COPD.
1)Draft new performance measure applications using Batelle application form with the goal of identifying missing components (e.g. testing data) that will require additional investment. Seek input from Batelle for what would still be needed for a successful application.
2) Identify potential collaboration partners for each candidate performance measure.
3) Share options with ATS leadership. Collect, analyze, and report on data submitted to CMS regarding the two quality measures of which ATS is a steward. COPD measure 0091 spirometry evaluation and COPD measure 0102 inhaled bronchodilator therapy.
• Continue stewardship of ATS' two active status COPD quality measures: CBE0091: COPD Spirometry Evaluation (Batelle endorsed, dropped by CMS MIPS program) and QID 052: COPD combined Spirometry & Long-acting Bronchodilator use (CMS MIPS program, not Batelle endorsed)
1) Complete Fall 2025 CBE 0091 maintenance cycle
2) Respond to CMS inquiries regarding QID052, advocate for its continued inclusion in MIPS.
3) In collaboration with Batelle, define amount and type of data required for both full measure maintenance cycle for CBE0091 and a new measure submission
4) Present possible courses of action to ATS leadership given there is no current mechanism to obtain this required data.
- Monitor, review and comment on quality measures proposed for the Medicare program and other external entities seeking ATS input.
- Working with DDIC, continue to provide input on all ATS clinical practice guidelines prior to completion on potential performance measures.
- Collaborate with and provide expert support to the ATS Evidence Dissemination & Implementation team including the Vaccine Initiative and future ATS sponsored QI projects.
- Develop an internal toolkit for QIIC activities and processes to promote institutional memory.
- Increase QIIC member engagement through QI scholarship activity.
