For today’s post we thought you might be interested in this profile of the National Neurosurgery Quality and Outcomes Database (N2QOD) that was published in Becker’s Spine Review. The article reviews the essential aspects of the program, discusses the broader significance of registry efforts and also points out the broad potential applications of quality programs including Maintenance of Certification (MOC) and public reporting.
While the initial N2QOD products are focused on spine disorders, the N2QOD will soon turn its attention to the development of registry products for other sub-specialty areas in neurosurgery. Due to recent developments with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Congress related to reforming the current Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS), Electronic Health Record (EHR) program and proposal for reforming Medicare’s sustainable growth rate (SGR), a viable registry option for neurosurgeon quality reporting is as important as ever. To find out more about the N2QOD and other clinical data collection projects, visit the NeuroPoint Alliance (NPA) website at www.NeuroPoint.org or contact NPA Administrator Irene Zyung at icz@aans.org.
In addition, please note these upcoming events and resources, where you can learn more about N2QOD progress and NPA projects:
- AANS Annual Scientific Meeting – A 10-minute plenary presentation on N2QOD’s progress at the one-year mark will be given on Tuesday, April 30, 2013, from 11:24-11:34 a.m. The NPA also will be exhibiting in the AANS Resource Center, booth #1439.
- The January issue of AANS Neurosurgical Focus presents the Science of Practice, with excellent articles on neurosurgery’s quality-improvement efforts, regulatory considerations and N2QOD’s contributions in its early stages.
- The February 2013 issue of AANS Neurosurgeon also features an article about N2QOD activities.
