Priority Areas for National Action -- Copyright -- REVIEWERS -- Preface -- Foreword -- Acknowledgments -- Contents -- Executive Summary -- STUDY PURPOSE AND SCOPE -- GUIDING PRINCIPLES -- Systems Approach -- Scope and Framework -- Evidence-Based Approach -- CRITERIA -- FINAL LIST OF PRIORITY AREAS -- PROCESS FOR IDENTIFYING PRIORITY AREAS -- Determine Framework -- Identify Candidates -- Establish Criteria -- Categorize Candidates Within the Framework -- Apply Criteria to Candidates -- Identify Priority Areas -- NEXT STEPS -- REFERENCES -- Chapter One Introduction -- STUDY APPROACH -- HOW MIGHT THE LIST OF PRIORITY AREAS BE USED? -- Level A: The Experience of Patients -- Level B: Micro-systems -- Level C: Organizations -- Level D: Environment -- WHAT CAN BE EXPECTED FROM THOSE IN THE FIELD? -- ORGANIZATION OF THE REPORT -- REFERENCES -- Chapter Two Criteria for Selection -- GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS IN DETERMINING CRITERIA -- Determining Evidence and Measurability -- Balancing Breadth and Focus -- Defining the Boundaries of the Health System -- CRITERIA FOR SELECTING THE PRIORITY AREAS -- Impact: How Big Is the Problem? -- Why Look at Impact? -- Measuring Impact with Reference to Population Health -- How "Broken" is the Health System? -- Improvability: Can the Problem Be Fixed? -- Evidence for Improvability -- Cost-Effectiveness Analysis in Priority Setting -- Inclusiveness: Breadth, Reach, and Equity -- TRANSFORMATIVE POTENTIAL -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 3 Priority Areas for Quality Improvement -- BREADTH OF OPPORTUNITIES REPRESENTED BY PRIORITY AREAS -- The Full Spectrum of Health Care -- The Entire Life Span -- Diverse Health Care Settings and Professions -- THREE TYPES OF PRIORITY AREAS -- Cross-Cutting Areas -- Specific Priority Conditions -- Chronic Care -- Acute Care -- Preventive Care -- Palliative Care -- Emerging Areas.

PRIORITY AREAS: DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS -- Care Coordination -- Aim -- Rationale for Selection -- Impact -- Improvability -- Inclusiveness -- Self-Management/Health Literacy -- Aim -- Rationale for Selection -- Impact -- Improvability -- Inclusiveness -- Appropriate Treatment for Persons with Mild/Moderate Persistent Asthma -- Aim -- Rationale for Selection -- Impact -- Improvability -- Inclusiveness -- Cancer Screening That Is Evidence-Based -- Aim -- Rationale for Selection -- Impact -- Improvability -- Inclusiveness -- Children with Special Health Care Needs -- Aim -- Rationale for Selection -- Impact -- Improbability and Inclusiveness -- Diabetes -- Aim -- Rationale for Inclusion -- Impact -- Improvability -- Inclusiveness -- End of Life with Advanced Organ System Failure -- Aim -- Rationale for selection -- Impact -- Improvability -- Inclusiveness -- Frailty Associated with Old Age -- Aim -- Rationale for Selection -- Impact -- Improvability -- Inclusiveness -- Hypertension -- Aim -- Rationale for Selection -- Impact -- Improvability -- Inclusiveness -- Immunization (Children) -- Aim -- Rationale for Selection -- Impact -- Improvability -- Inclusiveness -- Immunization (Adult) -- Aim -- Rationale for Selection -- Impact -- Improvability -- Inclusiveness -- Ischemic Heart Disease -- Aim -- Rationale for Selection -- Impact -- Improvability -- Inclusiveness -- Major Depression -- Aim -- Rationale for Selection -- Impact -- Improvability -- Inclusiveness -- Medication Management -- Aim -- Rationale for Selection -- Impact -- Improbability -- Inclusiveness -- Nosocomial Infections -- Aim -- Rationale for Selection -- Impact -- Improvability -- Inclusiveness -- Pain Control in Advanced Cancer -- Aim -- Rationale for Selection -- Impact -- Improvability -- Inclusiveness -- Pregnancy and Childbirth -- Aim -- Rationale for selection -- Impact.

Improbability -- Inclusiveness -- Severe and Persistent Mental Illness -- Aim -- Rationale for Selection -- Impact -- Improvability -- Inclusiveness -- Stroke -- Aim -- Rationale for Selection -- Impact -- Improvability -- Inclusiveness -- Tobacco Dependence Treatment in Adults -- Aim -- Rationale for Selection -- Impact -- Improvability -- Inclusiveness -- Obesity -- Aim -- Rationale for Selection -- Impact -- Improvability -- Inclusiveness -- REFERENCES -- Chapter Four Process for Identifying Priority Areas -- GUIDING PRINCIPLES -- PROCESS USE BY THE COMMITTEE -- Determine Framework -- Identify Candidate Priority Areas -- Establish Criteria -- Categorize Candidate Areas Within the Framework -- Apply Criteria to Screen Candidates -- Identify Priority Areas -- RECOMMENDED PROCESS FOR DETERMINING PRIORITY AREAS -- Determine Framework -- Identify Candidate Priority Areas -- Establish Criteria -- Categorize Candidate Areas Within the Framework -- Apply Impact and Inclusiveness Criteria -- Apply Improvability and Inclusiveness, Criteria -- Identify Priority Areas -- Implement Strategies for Improving Care, Measure Impact, and Review/Update List of Areas -- DISCUSSION OF LIMITATIONS -- REFERENCES -- Appendix A Biographies of Committee Members -- GEORGE J.ISHAM, MD, CHAIR -- BRIAN AUSTIN -- STEPHEN BERMAN, M.D. -- KAREN A.BODENHORN, RN, MPH -- DAVID M.CUTLER, PH.D. -- JAIME A.DAVIDSON, MD, FACP, FACE -- BENJAMIN G.DRUSS, MD, MPH -- JACK C.EBELER, MPA -- LISA I.IEZZONI, MD -- CHARLES B.INLANDER -- JOANNE LYNN, MD -- C.TRACY ORLEANS, PH.D. -- GREG PAWLSON, MD, MPH -- PAUL D.STOLLEY, MD, MPH -- EUGENE WASHINGTON, MD, M.SC. -- KEVIN WEISS, MD, MPH, FACP -- GAIL WILENSKY, PH.D. -- Appendix B Committee on Identifying Priority Areas for Quality Improvement Workshop -- Appendix C Priority Setting Models.

AGENCY FOR HEALTHCARE RESEARCH AND QUALITY (AHRQ): MEDICAL EXPENDITURE PANEL SURVEY -- VETERANS ADMINISTRATION (VA): QUALITY ENHANCEMENT RESEARCH INITIATIVE (QUERI) -- THE BUREAU OF PRIMARY HEALTH CARE/ HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (HRSA/BPHC) HEALTH DISPARITIES COLLABORATIVES -- CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES (CMS) -- PARTNERSHIP FOR PREVENTION -- NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH) -- REFERENCES.