What is GIQuIC?
The GI Quality Improvement Consortium, Ltd. is a national quality measurement initiative for endoscopic procedures. GIQuIC is non-profit partnership established by two national medical groups, the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE). Participation is voluntary. Physicians performing endoscopy can track and compare their performance to determine how it measures up to expert standards.
Why does quality measurement matter?
Physicians can compare their endoscopic performance to their peers on a local, regional or national scale. GIQuIC collects essential data following evidence-based quality indicators and key performance metrics derived from a joint report by ACG and ASGE entitled, “Quality Indicators for Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Procedures.”
Why is GIQuIC important?
With healthcare reform in the national spotlight, GIQuIC is one avenue to measure quality in endoscopy, in particular, colonoscopy. The program documents the quality of care provided by tracking how well the physician does in terms of seeing the entire colon, finding growths or polyps, and in the rare instance, reporting any complications.
What quality measures are used in GIQuIC?
One of the most widely accepted measures of quality in colonoscopy is the “cecal intubation rate.” That’s a measure of the completeness of a colonoscopy exam, and indicates how well the physician does with the colonoscope in reaching an anatomical landmark in the colon, the cecum. Reaching the cecum is generally considered a thorough examination of the entire colon. Another measure of a quality exam is detection of polyps or growths in the colon.
Does measuring quality mean my doctor needs to improve?
Actually, this commitment to measure quality means that your physician is a leader in a growing national trend to measure and document performance as a way to constantly monitor and improve outcomes for patients. Many physicians have recognized that they must take the lead in setting the standard for what constitutes “quality” in terms of medical procedures and clinical care – rather than have those standards set by the government or insurance companies. The willingness to track and measure performance is a sign of your physician’s commitment to what is best for you, the patient. Participating in GIQuIC is one way a physician can demonstrate their care for your health and safety.
