N2QOD, NPA to Launch New Projects in 2016

0
98

The National Neurosurgery Quality & Outcomes Database (N2QOD) is the NeuroPoint Alliance’s (NPA) largest continuous effort — designed to collect and generate high-quality neurosurgical patient outcomes data. Currently, there are over 75 sites throughout the U.S. now reporting data through N2QOD. More than 25,000 patients have enrolled in the spine registry across 54 participating spine centers. The cerebrovascular registry is enrolling patients in 10 centers. This number continues to rise as more health-care institutions purchase access to the NPA database. The NPA anticipates activation of a brain tumor module to help support registry-based quality improvement in 2016.

In April 2015, NPA received notification from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) to officially identify N2QOD as a Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR). Because of this designation, those participating can use N2QOD to satisfy Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) reporting requirements. There are 21 novel measures that were developed by leading quality experts within neurosurgery that were approved also in April. These measures were previously not existing within PQRS. They are the first specialty-specific approved measures for neurosurgery and will allow for neurosurgeons to utilize public reporting. Currently, 11 sites are now utilizing NPA’s QCDR status to their benefit by taking advantage of the platform to fulfill PQRS measures.

o

The N2QOD QCDR application and measure development process is highlighted in the December issue of the Journal of Neurosurgery’s (JNS) Neurosurgical Focus. The articles, entitled The present and future of quality measures and public reporting in neurosurgery and The National Neurosurgery Quality and Outcomes Database Qualified Clinical Data Registry: 2015 measure specifications and rationale, are available on the JNS website.

Recently, NPA has launched a number of exciting new projects, including the ECIC Bypass Study — a registry for evaluating bypass surgery for carotid occlusion with persistent or unstable symptoms that fail other forms of medical management. The Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy Surgical Trial will determine the optimal surgical approach for patients with multi-level cervical spondylotic myelopathy. For this six-year study of 300 patients from 20 centers, NPA will provide data collection services by partnering with Acesis, Inc.

NPA is in discussions with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding device evaluation and post-market surveillance. NPA is also in discussions with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) regarding methods of data collection apart from randomized clinical trials. There is enthusiasm to look at prospective registries to do a propensity analysis and draw causal inferences from the data. Areas in neurosurgery under discussion are the management of unruptured intracranial aneurysm and brain metastases.

Many new endeavors and developments are on the horizon for NPA in 2016 due to support and collaboration from various neurosurgical organizations. If you or your institution is interested in learning more about NPA or becoming and participant, click here to access the NPA website or email [email protected].

[aans_authors]

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
o