Measuring quality in pediatric ophthalmology

Pediatric ophthalmologists should respond to quality expectations inherent in all disciplines of medicine. The specialists must be able to collect dat a to document and prove the quality of their work if it anticipates continu ed reimbursement for services. Quality of medical practice is assessed by o utcomes research, which is different from clinical research. All specialist s are systemically measuring individual and group outcomes across the spect rum of American health care systems. Pediatric ophthalmologists, both in pr ivate practice and at academic centers, must concentrate their research eff orts on the assessment of cost, quality, utilization, and patient-centered health-related quality of life for the most common pathologies in pediatric ophthalmology practice.