Posts for Category: PQA Blogs

We are excited to host members next week at the 2024 PQA Leadership Summit and PQA Convenes: Quality Medication Use in Rare Disease at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel in Arlington, Va. This year’s summit will focus on PQA’s recent and ongoing work to develop standard pharmacy quality measures. There is still time for members to join us […]

The PQA Quality Essentials Webinar series provides education on the fundamentals of quality measurement, which is important for effective measure implementation and performance, and information about where and how PQA quality measures are used.  In the August 14, 2024, Quality Essentials Webinar, PQA’s Melissa Castora-Binkley, PhD, Senior Director of Research and Carly Vogel, PhD, Research […]

Every patient deserves access to medications that are safe, effective and can help them achieve the best outcomes possible. As our understanding and ability to treat rare disease improves, PQA is eager to shine a light on the aspects of quality medication use that benefit patients and those who care for them. Join us for PQA Convenes: […]

PQA offers a competitive Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiential (APPE) Rotation for pharmacy students, which provides experiential learning opportunities in non-profit association management, medication use quality education, communications, research and performance measurement. PQA works with individual students to align their rotation experience with desired career goals and interests. Applications for the 2025-26 year are now being accepted. You can apply here. Visit our Student Programs page for more information.  Lauren Moy, University of Illinois […]

PQA is developing a set of standard pharmacy performance measures that would be appropriate for pharmacy quality assessment. As part of this work, PQA has launched a proof-of-concept pilot using several PQA pharmacy measure concepts to evaluate the effectiveness of pharmacies in improving adult immunization rates through value-based arrangements (VBA) with payers. Working with four […]

What an exciting year it has been for PQA! As we continue progress towards completion of our strategic plan, Blueprint PQA 2025, our team has been hard at work alongside our valued members to deliver meaningful improvements and drive positive change in quality medication use.   Today, we published the 2024 PQA Annual Report, which documents […]

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a serious global health concern impacting millions of individuals. Despite being the third leading cause of mortality worldwide, COPD remains underdiagnosed and undertreated. Quality measures are a vital component of value-based payment models, but there are few COPD measures in current U.S. quality reporting programs, despite the established burden […]

PQA offers a variety of student and professional programs, including experiential rotations, internships and fellowships. Each focuses on providing health care quality experience to diverse individuals from diverse disciplines. PQA is now accepting applications for our student and professional programs for 2025-2026. As an emerging leader in health care, public health, and pharmacy, now is […]

PQA’s Board of Directors represents a diverse group of thought leaders and experts in health care, who understand how medication optimization improves patient outcomes and supports a value-based care system. Their expertise helps PQA advance the safe and appropriate use of medicines. This blog is one in a series profiling PQA’s Board members.  Susan Cantrell, MHL, RPh, CAE, is […]

There are numerous opportunities for you to be part of the PQA Convening events in the coming months. Registration is also open for the 2024 PQA Leadership Summit and PQA Convenes: Quality Medication Use in Rare Disease. We also invite submissions for breakout session and poster abstract proposals for the 2025 PQA Annual Meeting, which is set to take place May 19-21 in Tampa, Fla. […]

Adherence to medications for cholesterol, hypertension, and diabetes helped Medicare beneficiaries avoid up to $29.2 billion in healthcare costs over six years (2016-21), according to the 2024 National Impact Assessment of CMS Quality Measures Report. This report underscores the importance of high-impact measures for chronic conditions, as evidence-based management efforts can significantly reduce complications and […]

PQA has issued an eight-point call to action for improving the quality and measurement of medication therapy management (MTM) services. The call was developed with extensive stakeholder input as part of a national, multi-phase initiative that PQA launched in 2023 to identify a pathway for new quality measures. It is the focus of a report […]

PQA has received a 2024 Power of Associations Gold Award from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) for the PQA Diverse Quality Leaders Program. The program helps individuals at various career stages become leaders in health care quality focused on safe, effective and appropriate medication use. As an alliance of quality-focused organizations, PQA remains committed to […]

PQA provides healthcare quality experience to students from a wide variety of disciplines. This summer, we are hosting four students through our internship and MPH practicum programs. They are adding medication safety, adherence and appropriate use experience to their professional training. We recently invited them to answer five questions about the work they are doing, where they’re […]

Registration is open for the 2024 PQA Leadership Summit, November 7-8, 2024, in Arlington, Va., and PQA Convenes: Quality Medication Use in Rare Disease, which will take place before the summit on November 7. This year’s summit will focus on pharmacy measure use in value-based arrangements (VBAs) and quality improvement programs. PQA recently published a report on two proof-of-concept pilots that […]

PQA published the Strategies to Expand Value-Based Pharmacist-Provided Care Action Guide five years ago. The guide was designed to spark conversation and foster collaboration between community pharmacy organizations, pharmacists and health care payers. I was honored to manage the task force that informed the report, and in a new blog, I reflect on the guide’s impact and […]

Through convening events, research, pilots and work to develop standard pharmacy quality measures, PQA has been a national leader in advancing pharmacist-provided care. A 2018 PQA-convened task force identified 15 strategies to expand value-based pharmacist-provided care, which form the centerpiece of the 2019 Strategies to Expand Value-Based Pharmacist-Provided Care Action Guide. The guide was designed […]

Patients receiving specialty medications often have complex, high-cost treatment needs, necessitating close management from care teams, including specialty pharmacies. Recognizing this, specialty pharmacy stakeholders have articulated the need for standardized turnaround time (TAT) measurement and reporting to better understand a key aspect of specialty pharmacy quality. In 2022, we launched the PQA Specialty Pharmacy Turnaround Time […]

The use of specialty medicine has grown rapidly in recent decades, fueling parallel growth in the number of specialty pharmacies that serve patients who are prescribed specialty medications. Patients receiving specialty medications often have complex, high-cost treatment needs, necessitating close management from care teams, including specialty pharmacies. Specialty pharmacies dispense medications, for which timely initiation of […]

Diverse Voices in Quality is a PQA blog series that showcases the successful career paths and experiences of medication use quality professionals from diverse groups at PQA member organizations. A part of PQA’s Diverse Quality Leaders Program, this series celebrates the achievements of our members who reflect our nation’s diversity and provides everyone with insights and inspiration […]

PQA, in partnership with Inovalon, is evaluating the impact of the Medicare out-of-pocket cost cap for insulin on persistence to basal insulin. A large body of evidence has linked improved medication adherence to improved outcomes in patients with diabetes. However, the cost of insulin presents a significant burden to patients, contributing to a decrease in medication-taking behavior. The […]

More than 400 leaders from PQA member organizations attended the 2024 PQA Annual Meeting, May 14-16, to network, engage and gain actionable insights. During the meeting, PQA presented eight Medicare plan contracts with a PQA Laura Cranston Excellence in Quality or Quality Improvement Award and awarded top posters from the 2024 PQA Annual Meeting Poster Session, sponsored by PQS. Learn […]

Oral anticancer medications (OAMs) are a growing and important tool in the fight against cancer. More than 120 FDA-approved OAMs were used in clinical practice in 2022, and OAMs represent more than one-third of cancer medications in the development pipeline. The quality of OAM use impacts clinical care, care coordination, patient safety and outcomes – […]

PQA members and health quality professionals gathered in Baltimore, Md., May 14-16, for the 2024 PQA Annual Meeting. For these three days, health care executives and quality professionals from pharmacies, health plans, health care providers, pharmacy benefit managers, biopharmaceutical companies, technology vendors, government agencies and more addressed top issues and emerging trends in medication quality, measure development […]

The 2024 PQA Annual Meeting poster session featured 23 quality improvement and research projects. Sponsored by Pharmacy Quality Solutions, the session provided an opportunity for authors to showcase their work and for attendees to engage in insightful dialogue about healthcare quality.    Awards for the best student poster and the top three posters were selected by a volunteer panel of […]

PQA will host an all-member webinar on Thursday, May 30, from 1:00-1:30 p.m. ET, to discuss one health plan performance measure that is being considered for retirement: Use of Opioids from Multiple Providers in Persons Without Cancer (OMP). PQA staff will review and respond to themes from the recent public comment period and address questions. […]

This guest blog is one in a series by sponsors of the 2024 PQA Annual Meeting on a survey which highlights opportunities for pharmacies and payers to boost medication compliance. PQA does not endorse, recommend or favor any product, service or organization that is a sponsor. As pharmacies evolve and embrace digital communications, patient preferences […]

The 2024 PQA Annual Meeting is just 10 days away! The PQA Annual Meeting consistently brings together stakeholders from across healthcare focused on improving quality medication use. Connecting with old colleagues, and making new acquaintances, is consistently a top-rated benefit of the meeting. .  There will be various networking opportunities,  all of which will take place in our Industry […]

The PQA Postdoctoral Executive Fellowship helps produce the next generation of leaders in health care quality through a full-time, 12-month program. Executive Fellows collaborate with PQA staff, members and other stakeholders on a variety of initiatives to improve medication use quality. During the fellowship, individuals will expand their skills and experience in project management, quality […]

The 2025 PQA Annual Meeting poster session will showcase 19 quality improvement and research projects. This session provides authors a venue to exhibit their work and enables attendees to engage in insightful discussions about health care quality.  The poster session complements the meeting’s array of educational programming, which includes four general sessions, 15 breakout sessions and […]

Collaboration is one of PQA’s greatest attributes, and our measure development process embodies how our diverse member organizations reach consensus on evaluating medication use quality. The public comment period is an important part of our systematic and transparent consensus-based process.  This week, we opened a public comment period for one health plan performance measure that is being considered for […]

The upcoming 2024 PQA Annual Meeting’s poster session will showcase 23 quality improvement and research projects. Sponsored by Pharmacy Quality Solutions, this session offers authors a platform to exhibit their work and enables attendees to engage in insightful discussions about healthcare quality. The posters complement the meeting’s array of educational programming, which includes four general […]

Have you made your plans to attend the 2024 PQA Annual Meeting? This year’s meeting will be held in Baltimore from May 14 -16. Early registration ends Friday, April 19; register today to take advantage of the member discount! You won’t find many national meetings featuring the cross-sector collaboration that defines PQA’s approach to improving medication […]

The 2024 PQA Annual Meeting is less than six weeks away, and we are excited to welcome you all back to Baltimore!  Tuesday, April 9, is the final day to take advantage of the PQA hotel discount. Don’t miss out! Make your room reservations at the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor. The early registration deadline for […]

PQA is a non-profit organization with 250 diverse members across healthcare. Our members include community and specialty pharmacy organizations, pharmacists and other healthcare providers, pharmacies, health plans, pharmacy benefit managers, life sciences, technology vendors, government agencies, health information technology partners, researchers, accrediting organizations and academia. New organizations regularly join PQA throughout the year. This blog […]

Today is an exciting and important day for PQA. The PQA Board of Directors completed the sale of all of PQA’s shares in Pharmacy Quality Solutions (PQS) to Innovaccer, a San Francisco, CA based healthcare technology company with a platform unifying patient data across systems and care settings. A statement  from our Board Chair, Susan Cantrell, […]

Have you made your plans to join us at the 2024 PQA Annual Meeting, May 14-16, in Baltimore? There are plenty of volunteer opportunities available to attendees who want to maximize their involvement at the meeting. We are looking for volunteers for education session moderators, first-timer session volunteers, poster judges and student mentors. Learn more about […]

February 29 was Rare Disease Day, providing an opportunity to raise awareness of the impact of rare diseases. Ensuring the quality of medication use is critically important for rare disease patients, payers, clinicians, specialty pharmacies and everyone with a role in the care process. We are in the early stages of planning an event, PQA Convenes: Quality Medication […]

Today is Rare Disease Day. It’s an opportunity to raise awareness of the impact of rare diseases. There are more than 10,000 known rare diseases and only a few hundred have safe, effective treatments. In the United States, rare disease affects about one in 10 people. The burden and cost of treating rare disease is […]

PQA is working with its members and the broader medication therapy management (MTM) community to build consensus on the research, measurement and strategies needed to evolve our national approach to evaluating MTM service quality. Join us next Thursday, February 29, from 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET., for a PQA webinar on finalizing a Call to Action to Advance the Quality of […]

As a healthcare quality educator, PQA offers a wide range of learning and education opportunities. The goal of our education programs is to promote the use and impact of PQA measures and advance the quality of medication use through research, strategic partnerships, collaboration and a variety of learning venues. PQA has appointed individuals from member […]

Patients, caregivers, family members and advocates have a critical role to play in high-quality medication use. They provide unique and valuable insights about what is important and meaningful in medication use quality, which supports the development of appropriate and useful quality measures, as well as related education, research and tools that support informed health care […]

PQA mourns the passing of CMS Chief Medical Officer Jeffrey Kelman, MD, MMSc. Kelman served on the PQA Board of Directors for 10 years and most recently served on the board as a CMS Special Advisor. Kelman was a trusted advisor to PQA since its establishment in 2006. He was kind, generous and thoughtful in […]

PQA and the Patient Advocate Foundation convened a diverse group of patients and pharmacy stakeholders in 2022 to identify and prioritize patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR) topics and evidence needed to improve social determinants of health (SDOH) screening and interventions in the pharmacy setting. A new article on this work has been published by the Journal […]

Join us as we head back to Baltimore for the 2024 PQA Annual Meeting, May 14-16! Registration is open, so make your plans now to join us and other quality professionals at the premier event for medication use quality. Enhance the impact of your attendance by becoming a sponsor of the meeting. The benefits of sponsorship include […]

Insulin persistence is associated with positive health and economic outcomes, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Mississippi, the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA), and Ohio Northern University, the results of which were published in Clinical Diabetes in December of 2023. The study highlights the promising applicability of a method to measure […]

There is tremendous momentum and a keen focus among PQA member organizations on addressing social determinants and social drivers of health (SDOH). SDOH impacts every aspect of care, including medication use, and the impact of unmet health-related social needs on patient access and use of care, outcomes, total cost of care, well-being and satisfaction is […]

PQA has released a third edition of the PQA Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Resource Guide, which profiles 40 SDOH services, including eight new services and updates to 10 initiatives from the previous two editions. The guide covers services that address at least one of seven SDOH barriers, plus expands the number of interventions that focus […]

PQA’s talented staff is dedicated to improving medication safety, adherence and appropriate use. As experts in measure development, research, education and convening, they lead the implementation of PQA’s quality initiatives to support better medication use and high-quality care. This blog is one in a series profiling PQA’s staff. Melissa Viscovich is PQA’s Chief Operating Officer. […]

Save the date for the 2024 PQA Annual Meeting, May 14-16, in Baltimore, Md. Registration for this year’s meeting will open on January 30. Our team is developing an agenda focused on the top issues in medication use quality and performance measure implementation. You won’t want to miss these insightful, actionable sessions or the many […]

To build a larger and more diverse quality workforce, the PQA Quality Shadowing Program provides individuals from diverse groups the opportunity to observe certain nomination-based panels to gain knowledge that can support selection for future panels.  This opportunity is designed for early career professionals and individuals who are interested in quality but have not had […]

PQA has published more than 80 blogs this year, providing insights and updates on our work to improve medication use quality. As we close out 2023, here’s a look back at the top five blogs of the year. Building Consensus on Priorities for Improving Oncology Quality Measurement (August 29)PQA released an important report that we believe is a […]

As we near the end of 2023, it’s a great time to reflect on our accomplishments this year. Certainly, each year brings its share of opportunities and challenges, and I’m proud of our progress as an alliance.   One important aspect that is unwavering from year to year is the passion and dedication of our […]

This guest blog is one in a series by sponsors of the 2023 PQA Leadership Summit on elevating clinical quality assurance. The views shared in this series are those of the author and do not reflect any PQA positions. In the heart of communities, pharmacists stand as the lifelines of accessible healthcare education. Through Medication […]

PQA has appointed individuals from member organizations to serve on the 2024 PQA Measure Update Panel (MUP) and Quality Metrics Expert Panel (QMEP).  The panelists self-nominated and were selected by PQA staff to create a balanced group that represents PQA’s membership and includes relevant expertise.  Measure Update Panel (MUP)  The MUP is a select group of approximately 25 PQA members who recommend or review potential updates to PQA-endorsed […]

PQA is working with its members and the broader medication therapy management (MTM) community to build consensus on the research, measurement and strategies needed to evolve our national approach to evaluating MTM service quality. PQA invites your comments on a draft call to action through Friday, January 12, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Comments may be submitted by individuals and organizations, and […]

PQA is working with its members and the broader medication therapy management (MTM) community to build consensus on the research, measurement and strategies needed to evolve our national approach to evaluating MTM service quality.  Informed by a robust environmental scan and a November 2 national convening event, PQA has drafted a call to action that includes eight […]

Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects how the body produces or uses insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar.1  In the US, 34.2 million adults have diabetes, and 1 in 5 are unaware of their diagnosis.2 Medication is a mainstay in diabetes treatment, and a wide variety of medication classes are used to […]

Diverse Voices in Quality is a PQA blog series that showcases the successful career paths and experiences of medication use quality professionals from diverse groups at PQA member organizations. A part of PQA’s Diverse Quality Leaders Program, this series celebrates the achievements of our members who reflect our nation’s diversity and provides everyone with insights and inspiration […]

PQA’s strategic plan, Blueprint PQA 2025, includes the vision of achieving organizational excellence through structure and processes that deliver exceptional value to our members and stakeholders. In support of this goal, PQA has performed a review of its bylaws and proposes revisions which modernize and streamline this important governing document. Our Board of Directors unanimously approved […]

The PQA Quality Essentials Webinar series provides education on the fundamentals of quality measurement, which is important for effective measure implementation and performance, and information about where and how PQA quality measures are used.   The September 14, 2023, PQA Quality Essentials Webinar welcomed members of PQA’s Performance Measurement team and speakers from Kaiser Permanente to […]

Ten years ago, PQA established a Postdoctoral Executive Fellowship. The program has hosted 13 fellows, and everyone has successfully completed the program and moved into an important industry role, where they are leaders in pharmacy, medication services and quality improvement. Applications for the 2024-25 fellowship positions are due November 28. It’s an incredible opportunity to join the nation’s only quality organization that is […]

Ten years ago, PQA established a Postdoctoral Executive Fellowship. The program has hosted 13 fellows, and everyone has successfully completed the program and moved into an important industry role, where they are leaders in pharmacy, medication services and quality improvement.  Applications for the 2024-25 fellowship positions are due November 28. It’s an incredible opportunity to […]

This guest blog is one in a series by sponsors of the 2023 PQA Leadership Summit on EQUIPP enhanced services. The views shared in this series are those of the author and do not reflect any PQA positions. In 2023, more than 50 million patients were enrolled in a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan […]

PQA offers a variety of student and professional programs, including experiential rotations, internships and fellowships. Each is focused on providing health care quality experience to diverse individuals from diverse disciplines. PQA is now accepting applications for our student and professional programs for 2024-2025. Visit our student programs page and learn more about the educational opportunities below. We […]

We are excited to host members in two weeks at the 2023 PQA Leadership Summit and PQA Convenes: Advancing Medication Therapy Management Quality Measurement. This year’s summit will advance measure modernization, while the convening event will address the state of MTM practice and opportunities to evolve MTM measurement. Leadership Summit attendees are invited to participate in both events. PQA Convenes […]

PQA has released the entire Medication Use Quality continuing education program and Medication Use Quality Certificate, which is a fully updated version of the program that was initially released in 2020. The updated program consists of the 15-hour Medication Use Quality Certificate and eight individual courses that are 2 to 3 hours each that deliver the certificate program’s content in […]

PQA offers a competitive Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiential (APPE) Rotation for pharmacy students, which provides experiential learning opportunities in non-profit association management, medication use quality education, communications, research and performance measurement. PQA works with individual students to align their rotation experience with desired career goals and interests. Applications for the 2024-25 year are now being accepted. You can apply here. Visit our Student Programs page for more information.  Courtney Smith, Ohio Northern University […]

PQA is a non-profit organization with 250 diverse members across healthcare. Our members include community and specialty pharmacy organizations, pharmacists and other healthcare providers, pharmacies, health plans, pharmacy benefit managers, life sciences, technology vendors, government agencies, health information technology partners, researchers, accrediting organizations and academia. New organizations regularly join PQA throughout the year. This blog […]

Diverse Voices in Quality is a PQA blog series that showcases the successful career paths and experiences of medication use quality professionals from diverse groups at PQA member organizations. A part of PQA’s Diverse Quality Leaders Program, this series celebrates the achievements of our members who reflect our nation’s diversity and provides everyone with insights and […]

Registration has opened for “PQA Convenes: Advancing Medication Therapy Management Quality Measurement,” which will take place on Thursday, November 2 in Arlington, Va. This invite-only event will bring together PQA members and industry experts to discuss the state of medication therapy management (MTM) practice, implications of recent Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposals and opportunities […]

This has been an exciting year for PQA! We continue to play a central role in driving meaningful improvements and positive changes related to medication safety, adherence and appropriate use. The 2023 PQA Annual Report documents our progress towards Blueprint PQA 2025. It is a collection of accomplishments from September 2022 to August 2023 and captures the efforts […]

PQA has released the entire Medication Use Quality continuing education program and Medication Use Quality Certificate, which is a fully updated version of the program that was initially released in 2020. The updated program consists of the 15-hour Medication Use Quality Certificate and eight individual courses that are 2 to 3 hours each that deliver the certificate […]

The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) seeks interested pharmacy and payer partners to participate in proof-of-concept pilots to implement and test high priority immunization pharmacy measure concepts. PQA has issued a request for interest (RFI) to gauge interest and willingness to participate in these pilots. The RFI and pilot process timeline is: These pilots are designed […]

Last week, PQA released an important report, Recommendations to Improve the Quality of Oral Anticancer Medication Use, which we believe is a key step towards improving the quality of care of individuals using oral anticancer medications (OAM). The uniqueness of OAMs, including complex treatment regimens, variable dosing schedules, and temporary and intentional discontinuation of therapy, present distinct […]

At PQA, you may have noticed that we appreciate sports analogies. Earlier this summer, PQA CEO Micah Cost discussed what baseball and quality measures have in common. In keeping with the baseball theme, PQA is entering the top of the 7th for 2023, and there is still plenty of time for members to get in […]

PQA released today an important report that we believe is a key step towards improving the quality of care for individuals using oral anticancer medications (OAM).  Working with our staff, 23 national oncology experts and patients have concluded that PQA’s top measurement priority should be a health plan performance measure to assess the degree to […]

We are excited to announce that registration has opened for the 2023 PQA Leadership Summit and PQA Convenes: Advancing Medication Therapy Management Quality Measurement. This year’s summit will focus on measure modernization and PQA’s role in the national effort to advance and align measures across providers and value-based programs. This PQA Convenes event is part of […]

The PQA Quality Forum Webinar is a regular, recurring series on healthcare quality topics with a focus on medication use and medication services. It is a forum for educating and engaging with PQA members and quality-focused healthcare professionals. PQA’s July 20, 2023, Quality Forum welcomed Catherine Macpherson, MS, RDN, the Senior Vice President of Healthcare […]

The PQA Postdoctoral Executive Fellowship helps produce the next generation of leaders in health care quality through a full-time, 12-month program. Executive Fellows collaborate with PQA staff, members and other stakeholders on a variety of initiatives to improve medication use quality. During the fellowship, individuals will expand their skills and experience in project management, quality measure design and implementation, non-profit administration and association management, and health care […]

PQA’s webinars have a new look! Throughout the year, PQA provides various education opportunities to promote the use and impact of PQA measures and advance the quality of medication use. With a focus on new developments and best practices, our goal is to help quality-focused healthcare professionals in a variety of practice settings expand their […]

Foundational information on the structure of measure specifications and value sets is valuable for users of quality measures, accountable entities, or those learning about the basics of measure calculation. PQA’s Medication Use Quality continuing education program course, “Building Expertise in Calculating Measures,” provides a detailed overview of topics essential to calculating quality measures, such as reading […]

PQA has several exciting opportunities for members to engage in our work in the coming months. Chris Kotschevar and I will be in San Diego next week for the NACDS Total Store Expo and would love to connect with our members there. Learn more about our commitment to standardized pharmacy measures below and how you […]

Creating a quality improvement plan can seem daunting to many, but it is vital for value-based care and improved patient quality. PQA’s Medication Use Quality continuing education program course, “Quality Improvement Foundation,” was designed to provide realistic approaches to implementing a quality improvement plan in a variety of settings. PQA’s Director of Education, Amanda Ryan, […]

Medication therapy management (MTM) is an important tool to help patients get the best results from the medications they’re taking. However, as our health care system shifts toward patient-centered and value-based care models, there is a need to advance how we evaluate the quality of MTM services. This can support the broader implementation of standardized […]

PQA has launched the PQA Quality Innovation and Research Initiative to Advance Medication Therapy Management Quality Measurement – a national initiative to advance medication therapy management (MTM) quality measurement and other strategies to evaluate MTM services. The launch of this initiative is a bit of a full-circle moment for me. Earlier in my career, I […]

The 2023 MLB All-Star Game was this week. It’s an annual showcase featuring the most talented individuals who step onto the diamond every day. All-Stars have to be at the top of their game across the entire first half of the season. Getting six hits in your first 10 at-bats won’t make you an All-Star, […]

Health information technology and public policy are two topics in health care that are continually evolving, as is their impact on medication use quality. With those factors in mind, the next Medication Use Quality continuing education program course, “Special Topics Impacting Quality,” will provide a framework to understand each topic and resources to locate additional […]

PQA is once again preparing to expand the PQA Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Resource Guide! As we work to develop the third edition we are seeking new initiatives and feedback on how our members and other quality stakeholders have used the guide. We have developed a short survey about the use of the guide. Your thoughts […]

PQA has released an additional course to the Medication Use Quality continuing education program.  “Equity and Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) in Medication Use Quality” dives into foundational information about health equity concepts and external factors that may impact health outcomes and medication use quality, including SDOH. In the three years since the program was […]

Medication Therapy Management (MTM) is an important tool to help patients get the best results from the medications they’re taking. In a new viewpoint article from PQA, Merck and the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, we present three reasons for new MTM quality measures and offer recommendations on next steps to achieve this. The current MTM […]

PQA provides healthcare quality experience to students from a wide variety of disciplines. This summer, we are hosting three students through our PQA Summer Executive Internship sponsored by Pharmacy Quality Solutions. They are adding medication safety, adherence and appropriate use experience to their professional training. We recently invited them to answer five questions about the work they are doing, where […]

Diverse Voices in Quality is a new PQA blog series that showcases the successful career paths and experiences of medication use quality professionals from diverse groups at PQA member organizations. A part of PQA’s Diverse Quality Leaders Program, this series celebrates the achievements of our members who reflect our nation’s diversity and provides everyone with insights […]

Yesterday we launched the updated Medication Use Quality continuing education program! We’ve made significant updates across the entire program to meet the current and future needs of quality improvement and medication use experts. The updated program addresses and expands on top issues that will shape quality for years to come, including value-based care, measurement science, social determinants of […]

PQA is a non-profit organization with 250 diverse members across healthcare. Our members include community and specialty pharmacy organizations, pharmacists and other healthcare providers, pharmacies, health plans, pharmacy benefit managers, life sciences, technology vendors, government agencies, health information technology partners, researchers, accrediting organizations and academia. New organizations regularly join PQA throughout the year. This blog […]

The 2023 PQA Annual Meeting poster session featured 24 quality improvement and research projects. Sponsored by Pharmacy Quality Solutions, the session provided an opportunity for authors to showcase their work and for attendees to engage in insightful dialogue about health care quality.   Awards for the best student poster and the top three posters were […]

PQA has a new look! Our fresh and modernized logo and color scheme reflect our positive, forward-looking view of the vital role of medications in health care – and our role in bringing the industry together to improve quality.  PQA is proud to be the national association that unites the health care industry in support […]

You may have noticed that PQA has a new look! Our fresh and modernized logo and color scheme reflects our positive, forward-looking view of the vital role of medications in health care – and our role in bringing the industry together to improve quality. PQA is proud to be the national association that unites the health care industry in support of quality medication use. As such, we […]

Health outcomes can be influenced by many factors other than the health care services received, including patient-related factors such as existing clinical conditions and sociodemographic status (SDS), which refers to a variety of socioeconomic and demographic factors. While risk adjustment for clinical conditions is a common consideration for quality measures in certain situations (particularly outcome measures), consensus on […]

PQA has appointed 19 individuals from member organizations to serve on a technical expert panel (TEP) to review and provide input on specific approaches to ensuring PQA’s measures support equitable health care. The Health Equity TEP will assess PQA’s health equity strategy, including stratification (including variables for both measure testing and implementation in quality programs) and risk […]