Equity-Focused Policy

Equity-focused quality measures need adequate risk adjustment to avoid penalizing surgeons or hospitals treating higher-risk patients. Equitable quality improvement requires measuring disparities at the start and tracking them throughout implementation. Quality collaboratives could evaluate QI effects within at-risk cohorts, including by sex, race, and socioeconomic status. Payors could use quality metrics focused on at-risk populations to highlight variation in procedural quality and direct resources toward closing gaps.