Highlight : Quality Composite Score and Total Cost of Care

Overview

When you need healthcare, you want to go to the best place at the most reasonable cost. In this report, quality is matched with the total cost of care, showing the value of care provided to Washingtonians. While not the entire story, this is an important one and highlights that for certain locations there is a mismatch between the two. Does high quality always come at a high cost? The answer is not always.

In this tool, the Quality Composite Score (QCS) uses four quality domains, and pairs independently with Total Cost of Care to show the ranking on quality and performance on cost. This tool allows for comparisons between medical groups, clinics, counties, and Accountable Communities of Health (ACH) across Washington.

It is important to note that while Total Cost of Care is reported alongside the QCS, it does not directly influence the quality score for the medical group or clinic.

In addition, we offer a unique view at both quality and cost, in the form of a scatterplot to further visualize. As an example, a user can easily see that commercially insured members receive higher quality primary care at a lower cost care in Thurston or Spokane than other counties. Additionally, a user can derive that patients with Medicaid can receive higher quality care at a lower cost from some clinics or medical groups compared others.

 

 

Like much of the Alliance’s reporting, variation becomes a key avenue to better understand how the medical community, health plans and employers can address the quality of care, eliminate low value services, and impact the total costs for a family. Our data informs the conversation about how to respond to inequities in our communities and search to eliminate barriers for people while improving the value of healthcare for everyone.

About the Visualization

To see QCS rankings along with the Total Cost of Care domain, select QCS and TCoC Results in the chart below.

To see the individual measure results, which comprise the four domains responsible for the QCS score, select the QCS Measure Variation tab.

To view the scatterplot displaying both quality and cost, please select QCS, TCoC Comparison. Unknown Medical Group or Unknown Clinic - This grouping represents individuals who have received health care services and were attributed to a primary care provider. However, the medical group or clinic location with which the provider is affiliated could not be identified.

To see detailed Total Cost of Care results, please visit the Total Cost of Care highlight.

For a more in-depth explanation of the Alliance’s Community Checkup methodology, please visit the methodology page.

 

 

 

For a more in-depth explanation of the Alliance’s Quality Composite Score methodology please see QCS Overview. And, for medical groups please see QCS Overview for Medical Groups.