Research estimates indicate that approximately a third of health expenditures in the United States is attributed to services that are of low-value, are unnecessary, and/or can be deleterious to patients by posing physical or psychological harm. The substantial share of resources diverted to ineffective services underscores the need to reduce or eliminate such care. Although the parameters of low-value care continue to be debated, a common understanding encompasses tests, treatments, and procedures for which “the potential for harm exceeds the possible benefit.” Beyond a consensus on low-value care, remedying the issue requires appropriate measures, tools, and data infrastructure to identify, monitor, and evaluate low-value care as well as evidence to reduce such care. Therefore, as part of an ongoing partnership, AcademyHealth and the ABIM Foundation have led a multi-stakeholder engagement initiative through virtual and in-person collaborations to set priorities for developing and refining low-value care measures that account for patients’ perspective on the value of care delivered.

Training and Resources

Webinar: Measuring Low-Value Care: Priorities for Patient-Centered Metrics

AcademyHealth, in partnership with the ABIM Foundation, has developed a set of priorities through engagement of multi-stakeholder groups to develop, test, and use measures of low-value care that are sensitive to patient’s values. During this webinar participants discuss the rationale, scope, methods, and implications of the prioritization project.

Steering Committee

David Atkins, M.D., M.P.H.
VA Health Services Research and Development Service (HSR&D)
David Baker, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.P.

The Join Commission
Mary Barton, M.D., M.P.P.

National Committee for Quality Assurance
Amy Berman, B.S., R.N.
The John A. Hartford Foundation
Shannon Brownlee, M.Sc.

Lown Institute
Diana Buist, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Group Health Research Institute
Helen Burstin, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.P.
National Quality Forum
Joyce Dubow, M.U.P.
National Quality Forum
Susan Dorr Goold, M.D., M.H.S.A., M.A.
University of Michigan
Eve Kerr, M.D.
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor Center for Clinical Management Research
Meredith Rosenthal, Ph.D.
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Lewis Sandy, M.D., F.A.C.P.
United Health Group
Nora Wells
Family Voices

This project was funded through a Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Engagement Award Initiative (3409). The content does not necessarily represent the views of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), its Board of Governors, or Methodology Committee.

Publications & Resources

Past Event

Webinar: Measuring Low-Value Care: Priorities for Patient-Centered Metrics

AcademyHealth, in partnership with the ABIM Foundation, has developed a set of priorities through engagement of multi-stakeholder groups to develop, test, and use measures of low-value care that are sensitive to patient’s values. This webinar encompases a discussion of the rationale and scope of the project, the prioritization methods, and implications of the prioritization endeavors for low-value care measurement
Date & Time Tuesday, September 5, 2017 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. ET Location Online