Measure Development
BHCOE believes in the power of quality measurement to make real change on the quality of services provided to people. We created a Quality Measurement Department to convene stakeholder groups including a Quality Measurement Provider Panel (QMPP) and Person and Family Workgroup (PFW).
About the QMPP
The QMPP is a group of large and small ABA providers that weighs in on measure concepts and gives their perspectives as clinicians who deliver ABA services themselves or lead a company in delivering ABA services.
When convening the QMPP, BHCOE actively sought panel members representing differing areas of expertise and perspectives. There are currently 12 panel members representing:
- Providers of ABA Services for children, adolescents, and adults on the spectrum
- Providers of ABA Services in home, school, community, and clinic-based settings
- Providers affiliated with large and smaller organizations
- Providers with academic background in the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) field
- Providers affiliated with BHCOE accredited and non-accredited organizations
About the PFW
The PFW offers the imperative perspective of the person receiving those services or who cares for the person receiving services. PFW members may also offer the important perspective of someone on the autism spectrum.
PFW’s role in assisting BHCOE with quality measurement consists of three main objectives:
- Defining ABA quality
- Selecting the most meaningful quality measures
- Supporting development of quality measures
When convening the PFW, BHCOE actively sought workgroup members representing differing experience and perspectives. There are currently 8 workgroup members representing:
- Autistic people who have received ABA services or have other knowledge of ABA services
- Autistic caregivers of children on the autism spectrum
- Parents/guardians of autistic children/adolescents across the spectrum who have received ABA, and parents/guardians with other knowledge of ABA services
Quality Measure Selection
BHCOE brainstormed measure concepts that would benefit all stakeholders, including persons and families receiving ABA services, providers of ABA services, policy makers, and payors.
BHCOE’s Quality Measurement Department is working to complete the selection process to produce quality measures for the ABA industry. The current round of measure candidates are in the information gathering and specification steps.
Measure Development Steps
- Information Gathering (environmental scan, literature review, empiric analyses, other evidence, concept generation)
- Specification (numerator, denominator, risk variable selection, missing data, result)
- Testing (validity, reliability, exclusions, risk adjustment, measure score)
- Public Comment (post draft measure specifications & test results for 30 days, solicit public comment, post responses to public comments)
- Finalization (finalize specifications, methodology report, statistical package, manuscript, distribution)
Measure Development Activities
Throughout the measure development process, BHCOE meets with both stakeholder groups on a bimonthly to monthly basis, depending on the frequency of input needed for our measure development initiatives. During these meetings, BHCOE utilizes a consensus building approach towards key decision making, to ensure all stakeholder perspectives are included and considered.
