(NCQA: Washington) -- The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), in collaboration with Pfizer, the world’s largest biopharmaceutical company, has released a new publication providing practical examples of how health information technology (HIT) can be used to improve health care quality and value.

The federal government is now aggressively promoting the adoption of HIT to improve health care delivery in the United States. By providing funds for incentives and infrastructure development to speed the adoption and effective use of HIT, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) recognized the important role HIT can play in adding value to the U.S. health care system and improving patient outcomes. “Quality Profiles: The Leadership Series—Focus on Supporting Quality Improvement Through the Use of Health Information Technology” offers comprehensive, forward-thinking commentary on the potential of HIT to advance the quality of health care.

“The use of HIT is a transformational step toward making the health care system safer, more effective, and more efficient,” says NCQA president Margaret E. O’Kane. “This edition of ‘Quality Profiles’ highlights the potential of HIT when linked to changes in the delivery of health care in real-world settings and showcases practical examples of successful uses of HIT that can serve as models for quality improvement.”

The National Priorities Partnership (NPP) has identified six priorities and goals for improving the health care system—patient and family engagement, population health, safety, care coordination, palliative and end-of-life care, and overuse. These serve as a framework for a discussion of how various HIT strategies and tools can vastly improve information management and support better patient care.

NCQA and Pfizer developed the seventh edition of The Leadership Series to help health care organizations, health plans, medical groups, employers, hospitals, practitioners, consumer advocates, and other stakeholders gain important insights into achieving strategic goals through the adoption and use of HIT.

“The use of HIT can bring many benefits to patients and to the many professionals engaged in their care,” explains Pfizer’s chief medical officer, Dr. Freda C. Lewis-Hall. “Our goal is to share practical examples of successful approaches that can serve as models of how HIT can be adopted, implemented, and evaluated.”

This addition to the “Quality Profiles” series includes innovative profiles of successful uses of HIT to improve quality, such as:

• Strategies to improve patients’ cardiovascular health through the use of HIT and quality reporting
• A program that combines the care coordination services of a care manager with robust electronic tracking and reminder systems
• Deployment of an electronic medical record system to help identify gaps in care and distribute that information to providers and case managers
• An internet-based health record system that is helping to reduce the overuse of psychotropic medications in foster children
• An electronic health record system used to provide physicians with customized patient recommendations based on established guidelines

To obtain a copy of “Quality Profiles: The Leadership Series—Focus on Supporting Quality Improvement Through the Use of Health Information Technology” or previous editions, “Focus on Cardiovascular Disease,” “Focus on Depression,” “Focus on Diabetes,” “Focus on Enhancing Care for Older Adults,” “Focus on Wellness and Prevention,” or “Focus on Tobacco Dependence and Smoking Cessation,” contact (888) 412-3090 or visit www.qualityprofiles.org.