National Healthcare Quality & National Healthcare Disparities Reports: Measure Specification Appendix, 2013

Measures

People unable to get or delayed in getting medical care in the last 12 months
People unable to get or delayed in getting dental care in the last 12 months
People unable to get or delayed in getting prescription medicine in the last 12 months
People with a usual source of care—excluding hospital emergency rooms—whose care source has office hours at night or on weekends
People with difficulty contacting their usual source of care during regular business hours over the telephone about a health problem
Adults who needed to see a specialist in the last 12 months who sometimes or never found it easy to see a specialist
Adults who needed to see a specialist in the last 6 months who sometimes or never found it easy to see a specialist
Children who needed to see a specialist in the last 12 months who sometimes or never found it easy to see a specialist
Adults who needed care, tests, or treatments in the last 12 months who sometimes or never found it easy to get the care, tests, or treatments
Children who needed care, tests, or treatments in the last 12 months who sometimes or never found it easy to get the care, tests, or treatments
 

Measure Title

People unable to get or delayed in getting medical care in the last 12 months

Measure Source

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends (CFACT), Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)

Table Description

Geographic Representation

National

Years Available

2002-2010

Population Subgroups

Activity limitation, age, education, employment status, geographic location (residence), income, insurance, perceived health status, preferred language, race/ethnicity, sex, U.S. born

Data Sources

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends (CFACT), Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)

Denominator

U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population

Numerator

Subset of the denominator who did not receive or delayed receiving needed medical care in the last 12 months

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Measure Title

People unable to get or delayed in getting dental care in the last 12 months

Measure Source

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends (CFACT), Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)

Table Description

Geographic Representation

National

Years Available

2002-2010

Population Subgroups

Activity limitation, age, education, employment status, geographic location (residence), income, insurance, perceived health status, preferred language, race/ethnicity, sex, U.S. born

Data Sources

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends (CFACT), Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)

Denominator

U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population

Numerator

Subset of the denominator who did not receive or delayed receiving needed dental care in the last 12 months

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Measure Title

People unable to get or delayed in getting prescription medicine in the last 12 months

Measure Source

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends (CFACT), Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)

Table Description

Geographic Representation

National

Years Available

2002-2010

Population Subgroups

Activity limitation, age, education, employment status, geographic location (residence), income, insurance, perceived health status, preferred language, race/ethnicity, sex, U.S. born

Data Sources

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends (CFACT), Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)

Denominator

U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population

Numerator

Subset of the denominator who did not receive or delayed receiving needed prescription medicine in last 12 months

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Measure Title

People with a usual source of care—excluding hospital emergency rooms—whose care source has office hours at night or on weekends

Measure Source

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends (CFACT), Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)

Table Description

Geographic Representation

National

Years Available

2002-2010

Population Subgroups

Activity limitation, age, education, employment status, geographic location (residence), income, insurance, perceived health status, preferred language, race/ethnicity, sex, U.S. born

Data Sources

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends (CFACT), Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)

Denominator

U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population who reported having a usual source of care

Numerator

Subset of the denominator who reported that their provider has night or weekend office hours

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Measure Title

People with difficulty contacting their usual source of care during regular business hours over the telephone about a health problem

Measure Source

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends (CFACT), Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)

Table Description

Geographic Representation

National

Years Available

National: 2002-2010

Population Subgroups

Activity limitation, age, education, employment status, geographic location (residence), income, insurance, perceived health status, preferred language, race/ethnicity, sex, U.S. born

Data Sources

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends (CFACT), Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)

Denominator

U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population who report having a usual source of care

Numerator

Subset of the denominator who reported that they have difficulty contacting their provider over the telephone during regular business hours

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Measure Title

Adults who needed to see a specialist in the last 12 months who sometimes or never found it easy to see a specialist

Measure Source

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends (CFACT), Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)

Table Description

Geographic Representation

National

Years Available

2002-2010

Population Subgroups

Activity limitation, age, education, employment status, geographic location (residence), income, insurance, perceived health status, preferred language, race/ethnicity, sex, U.S. born

Data Sources

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends (CFACT), Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)

Denominator

U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized adults age 18 and over who reported that, during the previous 12 months, they or a doctor thought they needed to see a specialist

Numerator

Subset of the denominator who reported problems getting a referral to a specialist in the past year

Comments

Data are from the MEPS Self-Administered Questionnaire (SAQ).

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Measure Title

Adults who needed to see a specialist in the last 6 months who sometimes or never found it easy to see a specialist

Measure Source

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (CQuIPS), National CAHPS^® (Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) Benchmarking Database (NCBD)

Table Description

Geographic Representation

State

Years Available

2010, 2011

Data Sources

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends (CFACT), Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)

Denominator

Adults age 18 and over, with Medicaid, Medicare managed care, Medicare fee for service, or commercial insurance, as appropriate, that had a doctor’s office or clinic visit in the last 6 months

Numerator

Subset of the denominator who responded "Sometimes" or "Never" to being able to get an appointment with a specialist in the last 6 months

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Measure Title

Children who needed to see a specialist in the last 12 months who sometimes or never found it easy to see a specialist

Measure Source

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends (CFACT), Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)

Table Description

Geographic Representation

National, State

Years Available

National: 2008-2010

State: 2010-2011

Population Subgroups

Age, children with special health care needs, geographic location (residence), income, insurance, perceived health status, preferred language, race/ethnicity, sex, U.S. born

Data Sources

National

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends (CFACT), Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)

State

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (CQuIPS), National CAHPS^® (Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) Benchmarking Database (NCBD)

Denominator

U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized children under age 18 whose parents reported that, during the previous 12 months, they or a doctor thought they needed to see a specialist

Numerator

Subset of the denominator whose parent reported problems getting a referral to a specialist in the past year

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Measure Title

Adults who needed care, tests, or treatments in the last 12 months who sometimes or never found it easy to get the care, tests, or treatments

Measure Source

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends (CFACT), Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)

Table Description

Geographic Representation

National

Years Available

2008-2010

Population Subgroups

Activity limitation, age, education, employment status, geographic location (residence), income, insurance, perceived health status, preferred language, race/ethnicity, sex, U.S. born

Data Sources

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends (CFACT), Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)

Denominator

U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized adults (age 18 and over) who needed care, tests, or treatments in the last 12 months

Numerator

Subset of the denominator who sometimes or never found it easy to get the care, tests, or treatments in the last 12 months

Comments

Data were obtained from the MEPS Self-Administered Questionnaire (SAQ).

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Measure Title

Children who needed care, tests, or treatments in the last 12 months who sometimes or never found it easy to get the care, tests, or treatments

Measure Source

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends (CFACT), Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)

Table Description

Geographic Representation

National

Years Available

2008-2010

Population Subgroups

Age, children with special health care needs, geographic location (residence), income, insurance, perceived health status, preferred language, race/ethnicity, sex, U.S. born

Data Sources

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends (CFACT), Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)

Denominator

U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized children under age 18 who needed care, tests, or treatments in the last 12 months

Numerator

Subset of the denominator who sometimes or never found it easy to get the care, tests, or treatments in the last 12 months

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