The advantages and disadvantages of process-based measures of health care quality

As consumers, payers, and regulatory agencies require evidence regarding he alth care quality, the demand for process of care measures will grow. Altho ugh outcome measures of quality represent the desired end results of health care, validated process of care measures provide an important additional e lement to quality improvement efforts, as they illuminate exactly which pro vider actions could be changed to improve patient outcomes. In this essay, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of process measures of quality, and outline some practical strategies and issues in implementing them.