Posts for Category: Press Release

Pilot Demonstrates Measure Concept Feasibility and Strong Interest in Payer-Pharmacy VBAs  Alexandria, Va. (March 26, 2026) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has completed a pilot studying the use of immunization measure concepts in payer-pharmacy value-based arrangements (VBA) to better understand pharmacy-payer data exchange, which strongly influences the feasibility of pharmacy quality measurement. The pilot also evaluated participants’ performance on the measure concepts and gathered their […]

PHIT CEO Jeff Rochon Will Serve as Board Chair Alexandria, Va. (February 11, 2026) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) Board of Directors elected its 2026 executive committee officers and Board members during the 2025 fourth quarter meeting. Individuals began serving their 2026 term on January 1. “PQA’s Board of Directors is a collaborative, strategic and visionary […]

Companion Provides Insights on Partnerships for Improving Medication Use Quality Alexandria, Va. (December 29, 2025) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has released a PQA Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Resource Guide Companion, which provides insights on key characteristics of effective partnerships among pharmacies, other health care organizations and community organizations to address SDOH barriers affecting medication […]

Alexandria, Va. (October 17, 2025) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA), through a majority vote of its members, has endorsed one new health plan quality measure and retired three quality measures. The newly endorsed measure, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Treatment Ratio (CTR), evaluates the percentage of individuals 40 years of age or older whose Chronic Obstructive […]

Awards Honor Excellence and Improvement in Overall CMS Medicare Part D Star Ratings and PQA Medication Measures Alexandria, Va. (April 14, 2025) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has recognized eight Medicare plan contracts with a PQA Laura Cranston Excellence in Quality or Quality Improvement Award for high achievement or significant improvement in PQA measures […]

Four New Members from Diverse Health Care Professions, Organizations and Industries Join Board Alexandria, Va. (January 27, 2025) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) Board of Directors elected four new members and its 2025 executive committee officers during the 2024 fourth quarter meeting. Individuals began serving their 2025 term on January 1. “PQA’s Board of Directors is […]

PQA Health Equity Technical Expert Panel recommendations inform measure testing, use in quality programs, and risk adjustment models  Alexandria, Va. (December 20, 2024) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has published a new report detailing technical recommendations for advancing health equity with PQA quality measures. Developed by the PQA Health Equity Technical Expert Panel (TEP), the key […]

Pilot Will Evaluate Measure Concepts and Data Exchange in Value-Based Arrangements Alexandria, Va. (September 24, 2024) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (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. Kroger, CPESN USA pharmacies and […]

Event will share patient, specialty pharmacy, pharmaceutical industry and payer perspectives  Alexandria, Va. (September 17, 2024) – PQA, the Pharmacy Quality Alliance, is bringing leaders in the rare disease community together to discuss quality medication use in a one-day forum on November 7 in Arlington, Va. The event, PQA Convenes: Quality Medication Use in Rare […]

Call Developed as Part of National Initiative with Stakeholder Input Alexandria, Va. (August 12, 2024) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (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 […]

Awards Recognize the Association Community’s Economic and Societal Contributions  Alexandria, Va. (July 25, 2024) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (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 PQA Diverse Quality Leaders Program helps individuals at various career […]

Opportunities, Challenges Persist Related to Pharmacy Data Capture and Exchange Alexandria, Va. (July 17, 2024) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has completed two proof-of-concept pilots that implemented two blood pressure and two hemoglobin A1C pharmacy measure concepts in value-based payment arrangements (VBAs) between payers and pharmacies. The results are detailed in a report issued […]

Low measure rates and minimal opportunity for improvement informed retirement vote  Alexandria, Va. (June 25, 2024) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA), through a majority vote of its members, has retired the Use of Opioids from Multiple Providers in Persons Without Cancer (OMP) health plan performance measure. The measure evaluated the percentage of individuals 18 […]

Analysis Will Study Effects of IRA Provisions to Improve Access to Basal Insulin Alexandria, Va. (June 5, 2024) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) in partnership with Inovalon is evaluating the impact of the Medicare out-of-pocket cost cap for insulin on persistence to basal insulin. The analysis will use the PQA-endorsed Persistence to Basal Insulin(PST-INS) […]

University of Kentucky Team Wins PQA’s 2019 Healthcare Quality Innovation Challenge Alexandria, Va. (May 24, 2019) – The University of Kentucky has won the second annual Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) Healthcare Quality Innovation Challenge (HQIC), a national collegiate competition where student teams present technology-enabled solutions to improve healthcare quality. Kentucky was one of three finalists to […]

Awards Honor Excellence and Improvement in Overall CMS Medicare Star Ratings and PQA Medication Measures  Alexandria, Va. (May 15, 2024) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has recognized eight Medicare plan contracts with a PQA Laura Cranston Excellence in Quality or Quality Improvement Award for high achievement or significant improvement in PQA measures of medication […]

(March 12, 2024) The PQA Board of Directors has voted to sell all of PQA’s shares in Pharmacy Quality Solutions (PQS) to Innovaccer, and the transaction has been completed. This is an exciting opportunity for all organizations involved. PQA is the national quality organization dedicated to improving medication safety, adherence, appropriate use and medication management […]

Guide Highlights Key Themes for Success and Eight New Services Alexandria, Va. (January 17, 2024) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has released a third edition of the PQA Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Resource Guide. The third edition of this guide profiles 40 SDOH services, including eight new services and updates to ten initiatives […]

Seven New Members from Diverse Health Care Professions, Organizations and Industries Join Board Alexandria, Va. (December 14, 2023) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) Board of Directors appointed seven new members to the 25-member board and approved its 2024 Executive Committee during the 2023 fourth quarter meeting. Individuals will begin serving January 1. “PQA’s Board of Directors […]

A Health Plan Measure to Assess Adherence or Persistence to Oral Anticancer Medications Is Top Priority Alexandria, Va. (August 29, 2023) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) convened 23 national experts and patients to prioritize opportunities to improve the quality of care for individuals using oral anticancer medications (OAM). The group’s number one measurement priority […]

Alexandria, Va. (June 1, 2023) – Safe, appropriate use of medication is an essential part of high-quality care that improves patient outcomes and health care affordability. To help health care professionals achieve the goal of quality medication use, the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) is launching an updated Medication Use Quality continuing education program. Three courses, […]

Alexandria, Va. (May 23, 2023) – Melissa Viscovich, CAE, IOM, has joined the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) as Chief Operating Officer. She will lead PQA’s finance and operations to ensure the current and future success of the organization. Focused on high-level impact, long-term strategy, culture cultivation and organizational effectiveness, Viscovich will oversee all operational and […]

Awards Honor Excellence and Improvement in Overall CMS Medicare Star Ratings and PQA Medication Measures Alexandria, Va. (May 11, 2023) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has recognized eight Medicare plan contracts with a PQA Laura Cranston Excellence in Quality or Quality Improvement Award for high achievement or significant improvement in PQA measures of medication […]

50 Speakers Across 20 Sessions Will Address New Policies and Industry Trends in Medication Use Quality  Alexandria, Va. (April 25, 2023) – The 2023 PQA Annual Meeting is May 10-12 at the Omni Nashville Hotel in Nashville, Tenn. The meeting is a top destination for health care quality professionals, who are focused on improving medication […]

Pilots Will Evaluate Measure Concepts in Real-World Value-Based Arrangements   Alexandria, Va. (March 9, 2023) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has launched two proof-of-concept pilots to implement four promising blood pressure and hemoglobin A1C pharmacy measure concepts in value-based payment arrangements (VBAs) between payers and pharmacies.  The pilots will advance pharmacy quality measurement and patient […]

Recipients Will Attend PQA Annual Meeting and Medication Use Quality Live Workshop Alexandria, Va. (February 14, 2023) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) is providing scholarships for minority health care professional students to attend the 2023 PQA Annual Meeting, May 10-12, in Nashville, Tenn., and participate in the pre-meeting Medication Use Quality (MUQ) Live workshop […]

Participants Will Attend PQA Annual Meeting, Have Access to More Than 20 Hours of Training  Alexandria, Va. (January 18, 2023) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has a new program to teach pharmacy and other health professions students the basics of quality measurement and strategies to improve medication safety, adherence and appropriate use. The PQA […]

Guide Profiles 12 New Services That Can Improve Medication Use Quality and Safety Alexandria, Va. (January 9, 2023) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has expanded the PQA Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Resource Guide. The second edition of this guide profiles 32 SDOH services, including 12 new services and updates to nine initiatives from the […]

Leaders from Diverse Healthcare Professions, Organizations and Industries Guide PQA Alexandria, Va. (January 5, 2023) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) Board of Directors approved its 2023 Executive Committee and appointed six new members to the 25-member board during its 2022 fourth quarter meeting. The appointments are effective January 1. “PQA is guided by our dynamic and […]

Alexandria, Va. (December 20, 2022) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA), through a majority vote of its members, has endorsed one new health plan performance measure, retired three health plan performance measures, and retired one nursing home performance measure. The newly endorsed measure, Proportion of Days Covered: Composite (PDC-CMP), evaluates the composite percentage of individuals 18 […]

Collaboration focused on evaluating medication use and pharmacist-driven outcomes in patients with diabetes Alexandria, Va. (October 27, 2022) – Humana (NYSE: HUM), Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) and Walgreens (Nasdaq: WBA) collaborated with the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) to evaluate the impact of pharmacist-provided care on medication use, health and economic outcomes in patients with diabetes. The […]

Awards Honor Excellence and Improvement in Overall CMS Medicare Star Ratings and PQA Medication Measures Alexandria, Va. (May 4, 2022) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has recognized 25 Medicare plan contracts with a PQA Laura Cranston Excellence in Quality or Quality Improvement Award for high achievement or significant improvement in PQA measures of medication […]

Guide Profiles Services That Can Improve Medication Use Quality and Safety Alexandria, Va. (January 13, 2022) – The PQA Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Resource Guide profiles 20 real-world SDOH services that are promising for improving the quality and safety of medication use. Created by the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA), the guide focuses on SDOH screenings, […]

Leaders from Diverse Healthcare Professions, Organizations and Industries Guide PQA Alexandria, Va. (December 15, 2021) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) Board of Directors approved its 2022 Executive Committee and appointed 11 new members to the 25-member board during its 2021 fourth quarter meeting. The appointments are effective January 1.  “The PQA board is a dynamic and diverse group of visionaries and experts in health care,” Micah Cost, PharmD, […]

Alexandria, Va. (December 20, 2021) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA), through a majority vote of its members, has endorsed two new pharmacy performance measures. One measure evaluates adherence to three types of medications for health conditions that are major drivers of serious illness, disability, death and health care costs in the United States. The other evaluates the turnaround time of specialty pharmacy prescriptions to help patients […]

Endorsed Measure Evaluates Migraine Preventive Therapy, Retired Measures Evaluated Drug-Drug Interactions and High-Risk Medication Use in Elderly  Alexandria, Va. (December 20, 2021) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA), through a majority vote of its members, has endorsed one new health plan performance measure and retired two health plan performance measures.   The newly endorsed measure, Migraine Preventive Therapy (MPT), evaluates the percentage of individuals 18 years of age and older with frequent […]

PCORI-Funded Project Focused on Patients’ Unmet Social Needs and Pharmacy Role in Addressing Alexandria, Va. (November 10, 2021) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) and the Patient Advocate Foundation’s (PAF) Patient Insight Institute will convene patient and pharmacy stakeholders to develop a patient-centered outcomes research agenda to improve social determinants of health (SDOH) screenings and […]

3-Hour Course is Accredited for Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians, Nurses and Physicians  Alexandria, Va. (September 8, 2021) – Safe, appropriate use of medication is an essential part of high-quality care that improves patient outcomes and healthcare affordability. To help healthcare professionals implement effective quality improvement programs for HIV medication use, the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has developed a new, 3-hour continuing education (CE) course, “Measuring Quality to Improve HIV Medication Use.” The course can be taken independently or […]

Alexandria, Va. (September 2, 2021) – Melissa Castora-Binkley, PhD, has joined the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) team as Senior Director of Research. She will lead PQA’s research to support better medication use and high-quality care. PQA research advances medication use quality by developing evidence to support meaningful quality measures, demonstrating the value of medications and pharmacist-provided […]

Alexandria, Va. (May 24, 2021) – The University of Southern California (USC) has won the fourth annual Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) Healthcare Quality Innovation Challenge (HQIC), a national collegiate competition where student teams present technology-enabled solutions to improve healthcare quality. USC was one of three finalists to present a solution to a panel of judges. The […]

Awards Honor Excellence and Improvement in Overall Star Ratings and PQA Medication Measures Alexandria, Va. (May 13, 2021) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has recognized 16 Medicare plan contracts with a Laura Cranston Excellence in Quality or Quality Improvement Award for high achievement or significant improvement in PQA measures of medication safety and appropriate use. The […]

Awards Honor an Individual and Community Pharmacy for Innovative, Pioneering Practices Alexandria, Va. (May 13, 2021) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) and the Community Pharmacy Foundation (CPF) announced today the recipients of the 2021 Community Pharmacy Innovation in Quality (CPIQ) Awards.  The awards honor an individual and a community pharmacy, whose innovative practices have improved […]

Alexandria, Va. (May 4, 2021) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) announced two senior leadership appointments and additional promotions today to support its work as the nation’s preeminent medication use quality organization. Key changes, which are effective May 1, include the promotion of Lisa Hines, PharmD, CPHQ, to Chief Quality and Innovation Officer and Richard Schmitz, […]

Alexandria, Va. (March 31, 2021) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) performance measure “Initial Opioid Prescribing for Long Duration” has been endorsed by the National Quality Forum (NQF). The endorsement is part of NQF’s Spring 2020 cycle of measures for Patient Safety and is included in the standing committee’s final report, which was published March 15. […]

Leaders from Diverse Healthcare Professions, Organizations and Industries Guide PQA Alexandria, Va. (January 29, 2021) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) Board of Directors approved its 2021 Executive Committee during its 2020 fourth quarter meeting. In addition, all 21 Board members agreed to continue their service in 2021, as the organization welcomes a new CEO on […]

Alexandria, Va. (January 4, 2021) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has selected Micah Cost, PharmD, MS, as its new chief executive officer. A seasoned health care association executive, Cost will lead PQA’s work to improve medication safety, adherence and appropriate use. PQA is a national quality organization that brings 250 organizations from across health care […]

Alexandria, Va. (December 21, 2020) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA), through a majority vote of its members, has retired two health plan performance measures. Measures can be retired due to lack of use, changes in clinical guidelines, the development of newer, more appropriate measures or a lack of further opportunity for meaningful improvement. The first […]

Alexandria, Va. (December 21, 2020) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA), through a majority vote of its members, has endorsed two new health plan performance measures. The measures evaluate medications to treat individuals with diabetes. More than 34 million Americans have diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These measures will help evaluate […]

Alexandria, Va. (December 7, 2020) – Nominations are sought for the 2021 Community Pharmacy Innovation in Quality (CPIQ) Awards. Presented by the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) and the Community Pharmacy Foundation (CPF), the awards honor an individual and a community pharmacy, whose innovative practices have improved care quality, medication optimization and patient outcomes.  Now in its […]

Study evaluates effect of videos with educational information about the patient’s prescription Lake Mary, Fla. (September 21, 2020) – Educational videos delivered via text message significantly improve patient adherence to newly prescribed medications, according to a new study by VUCA Health, the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA), and Liberty Software. Results of the study will be presented […]

National Collegiate Competition Open to Students at All U.S. Schools of Pharmacy  Alexandria, Va. (August 5, 2020) – The PQA Healthcare Quality Innovation Challenge (HQIC) is an annual national collegiate competition where student teams present technology-enabled solutions to improve healthcare quality. With the support of a faculty or pharmacy professional mentor, participating student teams develop a […]

Collaboration focused on evaluating medication use and pharmacist-driven outcomes in patients with diabetes Alexandria, Va. (July 27, 2020) – Humana (NYSE: HUM), Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) and Walgreens (Nasdaq: WBA) are collaborating with the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) to evaluate the impact of pharmacist-provided care on medication use, health and economic outcomes in patients with diabetes. The […]

15-Hour Continuing Education Certificate Accredited for Pharmacists, Nurses and Physicians Alexandria, Va. (June 22, 2020) – Safe, appropriate use of medication is an essential part of high-quality care that improves patient outcomes and healthcare affordability. To help healthcare professionals implement effective quality improvement programs, the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has developed Medication Use Quality, an online continuing […]

15-Hour Continuing Education Certificate Accredited for Pharmacists, Nurses and Physicians Alexandria, Va. (June 22, 2020) – Safe, appropriate use of medication is an essential part of high-quality care that improves patient outcomes and healthcare affordability. To help healthcare professionals implement effective quality improvement programs, the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has developed Medication Use Quality, an online continuing […]

Projects will study the impact of socioeconomic factors and tools on patient access  Alexandria, Va. (June 24, 2020) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) and the National Pharmaceutical Council (NPC) today announced two research grants to address barriers patients face in accessing needed medications. Researchers at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and the University of Rhode Island […]

Alexandria, Va. (June 18, 2020) – The University of Pittsburgh has won the third annual Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) Healthcare Quality Innovation Challenge (HQIC), a national collegiate competition where student teams present technology-enabled solutions to improve healthcare quality. Pittsburgh was one of three finalists to present a solution to a panel of judges. The winning solution […]

Alexandria, Va. (May 14, 2020) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has recognized 24 Medicare plan contracts with a quality award for high achievement or significant improvement in PQA measures of medication safety and appropriate use. The awards are based on published CMS Medicare Part D Star Ratings. PQA provides two awards, an Excellence in Quality […]

Awards Honor an Individual and Community Pharmacy for Innovative, Pioneering Practices Alexandria, Va. (May 14, 2020) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) and the Community Pharmacy Foundation (CPF) announced today the recipients of the 2020 Community Pharmacy Innovation in Quality (CPIQ) Awards.  The awards honor an individual and a community pharmacy, whose innovative practices have improved […]

Alexandria, Va. (April 20, 2020) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has developed a valid risk adjustment methodology for sociodemographic status (SDS) factors for three medication adherence measures used in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Part D Star Ratings Program. The measures evaluate adherence, as determined by proportion of days covered (PDC), […]

Alexandria, Va. (April 17, 2020) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) is pleased to announce that Rachel Digmann, PharmD, has joined its team as Senior Director of Measure Operations and Analytics. She is responsible for measure testing and maintenance of the PQA measure technical specifications and contributing to the development and endorsement of new measures. She […]

by Micah Cost, PharmD, MS As we celebrate Black History Month, I am reminded of one experience that had a profound impact on my view of health access and the pharmacist’s role in addressing medication use quality through team-based care. In December 2016, I had an opportunity to travel to Los Angeles to spend a few days learning from barber Eric […]

Micah Cost, PharmD, MS, is PQA’s CEO. Today begins his third week leading the organization. This blog features the message he shared with PQA members on February 1, his first day in charge. Follow Cost and PQA on Twitter for more insights on the organization’s daily work to improve medication use quality. Greetings PQA members! […]

Four PQA measures will be adapted to leverage state prescription drug monitoring programs Alexandria, Va. (February 11, 2020) – PQA is partnering with the Chesapeake Regional Information System for our Patients (CRISP) to map four PQA opioid measures so they can leverage Maryland’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) data. The partnership addresses provisions of the SUPPORT […]

Measures Evaluate Adherence for Medication Treatment of Hypertension, Cholesterol and HIV Alexandria, Va. (February 6, 2020) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA), through a majority vote of its members, has endorsed three new pharmacy performance measures that evaluate adherence for medication treatment of hypertension, cholesterol and HIV. Medication adherence in these therapeutic areas remains suboptimal, and […]

Minimizing Measurement Burden Through Responsible Stewardship Alexandria, Va. (February 6, 2020) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA), through a majority vote of its members, has retired six health plan performance measures. Measures can be retired due to lack of use, lack of opportunity for meaningful improvement, changes in clinical guidelines or the development of newer, more […]

Leaders from Diverse Healthcare Professions, Organizations and Industries Guide PQA Alexandria, Va. (January 22, 2020) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) Board of Directors approved its 2020 Executive Committee and appointed two new members to the 21-member Board during its 2019 fourth quarter meeting. The appointments were effective January 1. “PQA’s Board represents a diverse group […]

Alexandria, Va. (January 13, 2020) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) is pleased to announce that Reid Kiser has joined its team as Senior Vice President of Performance Measurement and Research. He will align PQA’s performance measurement and research work and lead the organization’s effort to integrate meaningful clinical data into quality measures, as we move […]

New Measures are First Step Toward a Standard Set of Pharmacy Measures Alexandria, Va. (December 18, 2019) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has developed three new pharmacy performance measures as the first step in a multi-year effort to develop a standard set of measures that would be appropriate for use in accountability and value-based programs. […]

Awards of $50,000-$100,000 Will Be Made for Short-Term Research Projects Alexandria, Va. (November 19, 2019) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) and the National Pharmaceutical Council (NPC) announced today a request for proposals (RFP) for research projects that address barriers to medication access. The organizations are interested in commissioning research that explores quality measurement targeting improved […]

National Leaders Will Present Pioneering SDOH Initiatives and Discuss Strategies for Scaling Solutions Alexandria, Va. (October 15, 2019) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) is hosting a national forum to showcase emerging best practices to address the social determinants of health (SDOH) and the role of pharmacists. Caring for the Whole Patient: Leveraging Pharmacists to Address […]

Rubric Describes Levels of Patient Engagement, Provides Recommendations for Improving Engagement Alexandria, Va. (September 27, 2019) – The first guide to help meaningfully include the patient community as a partner across the quality measure lifecycle has been developed by a national roundtable convened by the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA), in partnership with the National Health […]

Scholars work with mentors on quality improvement projects Alexandria, Va. (September 26, 2019) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) announced today the 2019-20 class of PQA-CVS Health Foundation Scholars. Now in its fourth year, the scholars program supports Doctor of Pharmacy students, who will conduct a quality improvement project during the academic year with the support […]

Alexandria, Va. (September 11, 2019) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has added two members to its Performance Measurement Team, which is responsible for the development, testing, endorsement and maintenance of PQA’s quality measures. Joining the PQA staff are Meghan Gabriel, PhD, Director of Measurement Science and Analytics, and Ben Shirley, Associate Director of Performance Measurement. […]

Open Comment Period Takes Place August 22-September 6 Alexandria, Va. (August 22, 2019) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) seeks comments on its “Proposed Standard Measure Set for Pharmacy Accountability in Value-Based Models.” The proposed set could establish a new paradigm for collaboration between pharmacies and health plans to improve medication management and patient outcomes. PQA […]

The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) applauds President Trump for the Executive Order to establish a health quality roadmap. As we move towards a more fully-integrated, value-based healthcare system that prioritizes the outcomes patients want, it is important to align quality measurement across the care continuum. An aligned approach to evaluating the quality of care patients […]

Awards Honor an Individual and Community Pharmacy for Innovative, Pioneering Practices Alexandria, Va. (May 16, 2019) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) and the Community Pharmacy Foundation (CPF) announced today the recipients of the 2019 Community Pharmacy Innovation in Quality (CPIQ) Awards.  The awards honor an individual and a community pharmacy, whose innovative practices have improved […]

Awards Honor Excellence and Improvements in Overall Star Ratings and PQA Medication Measures Alexandria, Va. (May 16, 2019) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has recognized 18 Medicare plan contracts with quality awards for high achievement or significant improvement in PQA medication quality measures. The awards are based on published CMS Medicare Part D Star Ratings. […]

Member-Endorsed Measure Focuses on Interventions to Resolve Medication-Related Problems in Medication Therapy Management Programs Alexandria, Va. (May 15, 2019) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA), through a majority vote of its members, has endorsed a new monitoring measure that evaluates interventions to resolve patients’ medication therapy problems in health plans’ medication therapy management (MTM) programs. This […]

Measures Evaluate Initial Opioid Prescriptions Associated with Increased Risk for Chronic Opioid Use and Opioid Use Disorder Alexandria, Va. (May 15, 2019) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA), through a majority vote of its members, has endorsed three new performance measures that evaluate initial opioid prescriptions: at high dosage, for long duration, or for long-acting or […]

Council Will Advise on the Focus of PQA’s Growing Research Portfolio Alexandria, Va. (May 15, 2019) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has established an Executive Research Advisory Council (ERAC), which will advise the organization on the focus of its growing research portfolio. “As PQA continues to expand its research portfolio, this council will advise us on […]

Collaboration Expands PQA’s Analytical Capabilities and Access to Data for Measure Development Alexandria, Va. (May 14, 2019) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) and the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy have established a three-year research partnership to develop and evaluate measures of prescription medication quality. The University of Mississippi team will support PQA’s measure research […]

Dr. Turner joins panel of diverse multi-stakeholder experts to review opioid and opioid use disorder measures and concepts Alexandria, Va. (May 6, 2019) – Norris Turner, PharmD, PhD, the Pharmacy Quality Alliance’s (PQA) Vice President of Strategic Alliances and Measure Implementation, has been appointed to the National Quality Forum’s (NQF) Opioid and Opioid Use Disorder Technical […]

Statement Issued as a Partner of the National Academy of Medicine’s Action Collaborative Alexandria, Va. (April 30, 2019) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has declared its commitment to addressing the U.S. opioid crisis in a statement issued today as a partner of the National Academy of Medicine’s Action Collaborative on Countering the U.S. Opioid Epidemic. PQA […]

Guide Aims to Inspire Collaboration Between Community Pharmacy Organizations and Payers Alexandria, Va. (March 26, 2019) – A Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) task force has identified 15 actions that pharmacists and payers can take to foster the adoption of pharmacist-provided care. Pharmacist-provided care can transform the pharmacist’s role in healthcare from a medication dispenser to an […]

Framework Holistically Defines Medication Access and Identifies Common Barriers Patients Face Alexandria, Va. (March 7, 2019) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has developed a “Medication Access Framework for Quality Measurement” to address the social determinants of health that hinder patient medication access and contribute to poor health outcomes. The framework identifies seven key areas patients encounter […]

Rubric Will Evaluate How Patients Are Engaged in the Quality Measurement Lifecycle Alexandria, Va. (March 7, 2019) – A national roundtable of 17 healthcare quality measurement experts, patient advocates, caregivers, and patients begins work today to create a rubric for assessing the patient centeredness of quality measure development and implementation. The rubric will provide guidance on […]

This is the Fourth NQF-Endorsed Measure in the PQA Opioid Core Measure Set Alexandria, Va. (February 13, 2019) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) performance measure for Concurrent Use of Opioids and Benzodiazepines has been endorsed by the National Quality Forum (NQF). The endorsement is part of NQF’s Spring 2018 Cycle of measures for Behavioral Health and […]

Staff Growth Reflects PQA’s Progress in Performance Measurement and Research Alexandria, Va. (February 8, 2019) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) is pleased to announce that Patrick Campbell, PharmD, PhD, has joined its team as Director, Measurement Outcomes Research. He is the newest member of PQA’s growing research team. Campbell will lead studies to measure the […]

Leaders from Diverse Healthcare Professions, Organizations and Industries Guide PQA Alexandria, Va. (December 12, 2018) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) Board of Directors approved its 2019 Executive Committee and appointed four new members to the 23-member Board during its fourth quarter meeting. The appointments are effective January 1. “PQA’s Board represents a diverse group […]

CQMC works to ensure that the right quality measures are in place across different healthcare settings to improve patient care and reduce clinician burden Alexandria, Va. (December 4, 2018) – Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) staff have been appointed to each of the eight workgroups of the Core Quality Measures Collaborative (CQMC), which was formalized today […]

November 29, 2018 The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) applauds CMS for considering an option to develop a standard set of metrics from which pharmacies and health plans would base their contractual agreements. PQA is the leading developer of consensus-based medication performance measures. As a neutral convener, we are ready to bring together all relevant stakeholders […]

Quality, Measurement and Patient Advocacy Organizations Will Collaborate on the Initiative Alexandria, Va. (November 15, 2018) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has launched a collaborative initiative to create a rubric for assessing the patient-centeredness of quality measure development and implementation. PQA, in partnership with the National Quality Forum (NQF) and the National Health Council […]

Dr. Hines will serve on two working groups, providing expertise on prescribing guidelines and evidence standards Alexandria, Va. (October 24, 2018) — Lisa Hines, PharmD, the Pharmacy Quality Alliance’s (PQA) Senior Director of Measure Operations and Analytics, has been appointed to two working groups of the National Academy of Medicine’s Action Collaborative on Countering the […]

The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) applauds the bipartisan work of Congress to mitigate the opioid epidemic and ensure the safe and appropriate use of opioid medications through the passage of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (H.R. 6). We are encouraged by the legislation’s focus on quality measures (Sec. 6093) to evaluate and improve […]

Alexandria, VA (May 24, 2018) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA), a non-profit leader in quality measure development, announced the winner of the inaugural Healthcare Quality Innovation Challenge, where student teams presented technology-enabled solutions to improve healthcare quality.  The interdisciplinary competition included students from different backgrounds, including pharmacy, computer science, nursing, business administration and public […]

Alexandria, VA (May 17, 2018) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA), a non-profit leader in quality measure development, today announced that ten Medicare plan contracts received PQA Quality Awards for high achievement or significant improvement in PQA measures of medication safety and appropriate use. For the past eight years, PQA has recognized health plans for achievements during […]

Alexandria, VA  (May, 17, 2018) – The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA),  a non-profit leader in quality measure development, and the Community Pharmacy Foundation (CPF) today announced the inaugural recipients of the Community Pharmacy Innovation in Quality (CPIQ) Awards during the 2018 PQA Annual Meeting in Baltimore, MD. The newly established CPIQ awards recognize high performance […]

Membership Endorses One New Performance Measure and Retires Another Alexandria, VA (May 16, 2018) – The membership of the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA), a non-profit leader in quality measure development, endorsed a new performance measure, Adherence to Non-Infused Biologic Medications used to treat Rheumatoid Arthritis (PDC-RA), adding to its Specialty Core Measure Set. The new measure examines the percentage […]

Alexandria, VA (April 9, 2018) –  The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) is providing important and timely tools to address the opioid epidemic in its launch of the PQA Opioid Core Measure Set . The set of four PQA-endorsed measures is designed to improve the safety of opioid prescribing: “PQA’s Opioid Core Measure Set provides a […]

Alexandria, VA (March 12, 2018) – PQA announced an expansion of its senior leadership, research and performance measurement teams as it continues to strengthen its infrastructure and partnering opportunities to align with the organization’s new strategic plan. PQA is pleased to announce the appointment of Norris Turner, PharmD, PhD as Vice President, Strategic Alliances and […]