(HHS: Washington, D.C.) -- The Chartered Value Exchanges (CVEs) is a growing movement to build a health care system where consumers, providers, and payers make decisions based on the value and quality of care. Currently, there are 25 local collaborations of health care providers, employers, insurers, and consumers working jointly to improve care and make quality and price information widely available. The CVEs’ initiative is one of several that the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) centers have taken to help people choose the best care based on nationally-recognized measurements of quality and value.

“Local public and private collaboration is essential to achieving a health system based on quality and value. The most effective strategy for achieving long-term improvement is the development of national measures and standards and the implementation of local solutions to utilize them,” says HHS secretary, Michael Leavitt. “With this distinction we are doing two things: we are recognizing the work these communities have already done to improve care; and we are giving them new tools to advance their efforts to implement, at the local level, a value-driven health care market.”

As CVEs, these communities will have access to information from HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that gauge the quality of care that physicians provide to patients. These performance measurement results may be combined with similar private-sector data to produce a more comprehensive guide to the quality of care in these communities.

CVEs are a key part of secretary Leavitt’s vision for health care reform, which is built on four cornerstones:

• Advancing interoperable health information technology
• Measuring and publishing quality information to enable consumers and providers to make better decisions about health care
• Measuring and publishing price information to give consumers and providers the information they need to make health care decisions
• Promoting incentives for high-quality, efficient health care

In addition, these communities will join a nationwide learning network sponsored by the HHS Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. This network will provide peer-to-peer learning experiences and technical assistance opportunities through facilitated meetings face-to-face and on the web.

Other communities interested in becoming chartered value exchanges can apply between Sept. 15 and Oct. 30, 2008. The application form is available at www.ahrq.gov/qual/value/cveapp2008.htm.

For further information, visit www.hhs.gov/news/press/2008pres/09/20080903a.html.

For more information on value-driven health care, visit www.hhs.gov/valuedriven.