NUNM CMO and Dean of Clinics, Regina Dehen, ND (’97), LAc, is a senior investigator on a study published in this respected medical peer-review journal: “Relevance of Quality Measurement to Integrative Healthcare in the United States,” which underscores the importance of metrics to continuing improvements in clinical care.

AUTHOR INFORMATION
Whedon JM, Punzo M, Dehen R, Menard MB, Fogel D, Olejownik J.

ABSTRACT
With the advent of new models for payment and delivery of healthcare services, the use of quality measures for continual improvement of clinical healthcare is now an integral feature of medical practice in the United States. However, quality measurement and quality improvement activities are not common practice among integrative health providers. This article discusses the import and application of quality measurement to the practice of integrative healthcare. It reviews developments in the healthcare quality improvement movement, explores the relevance of quality measures to integrative healthcare, describes examples of the current use of quality measures in integrative health practice, discusses discriminatory policies that may prevent participation in quality improvement by integrative health practitioners, and makes recommendations for practice and policy.