| Chair | Bela Patel, MD | Houston, TX |
| Vice Chair | Mark L. Metersky, MD | Farmington, CT |
| Committee Member | Katie Artis, MD, MPH | Portland, OR |
| Committee Member | Lara Bashoura, MD | Houston, TX |
| Committee Member | Brian W. Carlin, MD | Sewickley, PA |
| Committee Member | Laura C. Feemster, MSc, MD | Seattle, WA |
| Committee Member | Carolyn M. Fruci, MD, PhD | Fall River, MA |
| Committee Member | Robert C. Hyzy, MD, ATSF | Ann Arbor, MI |
| Committee Member | Isaretta L. Riley, MD, MPH | Durham, NC |
| Committee Member | Carolyn L. Rochester, MD | Cheshire, CT |
| Committee Member | Robert C. Stansbury, MD | Morgantown, WV |
| Committee Member | Jennifer Stevens, MD, MS | Boston, MA |
| Committee Member | George Su, MD | San Francisco, CA |
| Committee Member | Carey C. Thomson, MPH, MD, ATSF | Cambridge, MA |
| Committee Member | Curtis H. Weiss, MD, MS | Evanston, IL |
| Staff | Joseph Ruminjo | New York, NY |
| Staff | Gary Ewart | Washington, DC |
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 2020-2021
Completion of the development of the COPD/Pulmonary Rehabilitation Measure. Patient recruitment has been completed through the ATS membership and reliability testing will soon be completed in preparation for measure submission.
Collaborate with appropriate assemblies to continue development of a low-tidal volume ventilation quality measure.
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. The 3 year review to CMS is scheduled for 2020 which will require a majority of the committees time and attention. The committee will also ask members to participate in a gap analysis of these measures.
Pursue opportunities with sister organizations to develop quality reporting mechanisms in pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine
Monitor, review and comment on quality measures proposed for the Medicare program
Working with the DDIC, develop a standard process whereby where all ATS clinical guidelines receive input from the QIIC prior to completion on potential performance measure(s).
