Using Performance Measurement to Improve the Quality of Addiction Treatment

Using Performance Measurement to Improve the Quality of Addiction Treatment

According to a 2003 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the quality of alcohol treatment ranked dead last among the study's assessment of treatment for the nation's 25 leading causes of death, illness, hospitalization and doctors' visits.Businesses, government and health care providers have acknowledged--through the adoption of performance measures for addiction treatment--that the quality of alcohol treatment matters and that performance measurement can improve quality. Beginning in 2004, the nation's leading health accreditation group, the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), will ask health care providers to measure and report their success in engaging people with alcohol and other drug problems in treatment.

America’s Overdose Crisis
America’s Overdose Crisis

America’s Overdose Crisis

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America’s Overdose Crisis

Sign up for our five-email course explaining the overdose crisis in America, the state of treatment access, and ways to improve care

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Learn the Basics of Broadband from Our Limited Series

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How does broadband internet reach our homes, phones, and tablets? What kind of infrastructure connects us all together? What are the major barriers to broadband access for American communities?

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What Is Antibiotic Resistance—and How Can We Fight It?

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Antibiotic-resistant bacteria, also known as “superbugs,” are a major threat to modern medicine. But how does resistance work, and what can we do to slow the spread? Read personal stories, expert accounts, and more for the answers to those questions in our four-week email series: Slowing Superbugs.