Yesterday, APTA testified on the use of functional mobility and self-management measures at the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics Quality Subcommittee on Patient Quality Measures.

Nearly 20 quality experts spoke on understanding patient/consumer health and health care decision-making needs and the measures and data to support health and decision making, using patient experience and satisfaction measures in assessing whether consumers/patients achieve their goals and expectations, and using patient preference measures in selection of insurance coverage, health providers, and treatment options. 

APTA's testimony, delivered by Heather L. Smith, PT, MPH, program director of quality, included information about functional mobility measures that are currently being used. The association described barriers to adopting certain quality measures, such as practitioners' resistance to change, the time needed to administer and interpret results, and access and cost issues related to technology, as well as presented strategies that could be employed to overcome these barriers.    

In addition to APTA, other panelists who presented on measures of functional mobility and self-management included John Hough, DrPH, MPH, MBA, from the National Center on Health Statistics, and Matt Stiefel, MPA, of Kaiser Permanente.