Article
Pharmacy Quality Alliance and AJPB Forge New Partnership in 2015
Through the partnership, PQA will contribute a regular column, Medication Quality Matters, that will help readers understand new performance measures.
Pharmacy Quality Alliance and AJPB Forge New Partnership in 2015FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJanuary 15, 2015
PLAINSBORO, N.J. — The American Journal of Pharmacy Benefits (AJPB) and the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) are pleased to announce a partnership in which PQA will contribute a new column to each AJPB issue entitled, Medication Quality Matters. This new column, published 6 times per year, will provide AJPB readers an opportunity to better understand the new performance measures that focus on the appropriate and safe use of medication and medication management services.
The monthly column in AJPB will begin with an article entitled, Medication Management: Measuring What Matters. This first article was authored by a team of professionals, including the lead author, Marie Smith, RPh, PhD, and PQA’s Performance Measurement Team: Lynn Pezzullo, RPh; Julie Kuhle, RPh; and Woody Eisenberg, MD. The article outlines several different types of quality measures available to healthcare organizations, some of which are tied to medications while others are not.
The authors discuss the fact that while hundreds of measures are used in today’s healthcare delivery system, many “care gaps” still exist. Room remains for new performance measures that can differentiate provider performance, address critical patient safety issues, and define high performance teams.
Laura Cranston, RPh, Executive Director for PQA stated that, “PQA is pleased to become the newest regular contributor to the journal and we look forward to adding valuable and timely content on the growing number of key performance measures being used in our healthcare system today, as well as to discussions on the impact these metrics are having on the overall improvement of patients’ care. We are also pleased that AJPB will be distributed to those organizations that are part of PQA’s full membership that would like to receive this publication.”
Brian Haug, president of Managed Markets, which publishes AJPB, noted that both groups are dedicated to seeking the input of many stakeholders and bringing these groups together to advance the healthcare agenda. “We have found a partner who not only shares our healthcare mission but also shares our approach to working with people,” Mr Haug said. “We look forward to working with PQA on the journal and on many more initiatives.”
About the Journals
The American Journal of Managed Care, now celebrating its 20th anniversary, is the leading peer-reviewed journal dedicated to issues in managed care. Other titles in the franchise include The American Journal of Pharmacy Benefits, which provides pharmacy and formulary decision-makers with information to improve the efficiency and health outcomes in managing pharmaceutical care, and The American Journal of Accountable Care, which publishes research and commentary devoted to new healthcare delivery models facilitated by the 2010 Affordable Care Act. AJMC’s news publications, the Evidence-Based series, bring together stakeholder views from payers, providers, policymakers and pharmaceutical leaders in oncology and diabetes management. To order reprints of articles appearing in AJMC publications, please call (609) 716-7777, x 131.
About PQA
Established in 2006, PQA represents pharmacy providers, pharmacy benefit managers, health plans, academia, consumer advocates, community pharmacies, health technology vendors, pharmaceutical research and manufacturing companies, and other stakeholders interested in improving the quality of the medication-use system.
PQA's mission is to:
Improve the quality of medication management and use across health care settings with the goal of improving patients' health through a collaborative process to develop and implement performance measures and recognize examples of exceptional pharmacy quality.
PQA provides a leadership role in identification and development of metrics for evaluating the quality of the medication-use system, provides education on quality improvement, and connects pharmacists to health care improvement initiatives. For more information about the Pharmacy Quality Alliance, please visit www.PQAalliance.org or contact us at 703-690-1987.
CONTACTS: Nicole Beagin (609) 716-7777 x 131
Samuel F. Stolpe, PharmD
Senior Director, Quality Strategies and Business Development
703.690.1987
www.PQAalliance.org
