We Improve Health Care Through Quality & Collaboration
PQA, the Pharmacy Quality Alliance, is dedicated to improving the appropriateness, effectiveness and safety of medication use and addressing issues that impact a person’s ability to access and use medications.
Through quality measurement, research, education and convening, PQA’s consensus-driven initiatives help improve health care outcomes and lower costs.
A National Leader in Medication Use Quality
PQA was established in 2006 as a public-private partnership with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. PQA was created because prescription drug programs were a major area of health care where there was no organization or national program focused on quality improvement.
Today, PQA is an independent, non-profit organization with nearly 200 diverse members across health care.
PQA member organizations include pharmacies, health plans, health care providers, pharmacy benefit managers, biopharmaceutical companies, technology vendors, government agencies, associations, health information technology organizations, researchers, accrediting organizations and academia. PQA’s work is patient-centered and includes participation from individuals with relevant lived experience, caregivers and advocates.
Our Mission
Optimizing Health by Advancing the Quality of Medication Use
Learn More About PQA
Download our PQA 101 Presentation for more information about our mission, programs and impact.
Our Values
We approach our MISSION with
Honesty: We act with honest intentions
Standards: We approach our work systematically to achieve predictable results
We cultivate RELATIONSHIPS through
Inclusiveness: We meaningfully include diverse perspectives
Collaboration: We bring the industry together to focus on shared goals
We define our SUCCESS by
Ingenuity: We pursue new ideas to transform the quality of medication use
Impact: We are focused on improving patient care and outcomes
PQA’s Quality Work Today
PQA leads initiatives that improve medication use quality, patient outcomes and health system performance. Our current projects and impact areas include:
- Five PQA measures are included in the 2026 Medicare Part D Star Ratings. PQA measures account for a significant portion of a health plan’s Part D Summary Star Rating.
- The 2024 National Impact Assessment of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Quality Measures Report estimates that up to $29.2 billion in health care costs were avoided for Medicare beneficiaries between 2016-21 thanks to improved patient adherence to medications for diabetes, hypertension and cholesterol. PQA developed and stewards the three Star Ratings measures that evaluate adherence for those medications.
- PQA is working to advance the quality of medication management services. PQA has identified six objectives that can advance MTM quality and measurement, and the MTM Advisory Group is serving as a forum providing expert feedback on how to approach these.
- The PQA Quality Innovation and Research Center is identifying methodologies for evaluating adherence and persistence to oral anticancer medications (OAMs) for quality measurement. This project aims to establish the evidence to support a uniform approach for measuring adherence and persistence to OAMs.
- PQA’s Medication Use Quality online continuing education program is the nation’s top resource to help health care professionals and students understand and implement effective quality improvement programs.
How We’re Governed
Learn more about the people, principles and structures that guide our work.
Our Staff
Meet the talented experts who lead our work.
Board of Directors
Discover the leaders who guide our mission and impact.
Strategic Plan
Explore our long-term vision to advance medication use quality.
Our Bylaws
Download the framework that defines and governs our alliance.
Policy on Inclusion
Read our commitment to workplace inclusion.
Join Our Team
We are looking for experts to join the PQA team. Are you committed to quality measure development, education, research and working with a diverse multi-stakeholder membership? Browse our current openings.
Candid Seal of Transparency
A Candid Seal of Transparency is a recognition awarded to non-profit organizations by Candid. These seals signify that a nonprofit has shared information about its mission, programs, financials, leadership, goals, and impact, demonstrating a commitment to transparency. There are four levels of seals: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum, each requiring different levels of information disclosure. Platinum, awarded to PQA, is the highest level, requiring detailed information about goals, strategies, capabilities, achievements, and progress indicators.