Discussion
While many quality indicators have been developed to
evaluate headache care, evidence regarding their reliability,
validity and practicality is lacking. They emphasize processes
of care rather than outcomes, and ignore structure.
Most cover areas of routine assessment, but do not clearly
specify the tool or process to be used in evaluation. Others
describe desirable treatment in broad terms, including
diagnosis, management or administration of particular tests
or drugs. None of the identified measures report inter-rater
reliability or other psychometric properties. They are not
clearly applicable to different levels and locations of
headache care. There is no evidence that any of them have
been used for quality improvement, although this is presumably
the purpose for which they were developed.
The process of developing quality indicators was not, in
any of the studies, begun with, or therefore informed by, an
agreed definition of ‘‘quality’’. What is surprising is that
neither did these studies attempt to construct a definition, in
the specific context of headache care, as a prerequisite for
developing indicators of it. While quality is important in
health care for any condition, and may to that extent have a
general definition, there are aspects of it that are specific to
or of particular importance in headache care. Furthermore,
it is not clear that a universally accepted general definition of
quality of care does exist; even its attributes are not wholly
agreed [4]. At issue here is whose perspectives matter in the
meaning and assessment of health-care quality: patients’,
health-care providers’ or payers’? Assuming they all do to
an extent, and they are not perfectly aligned, which have
priority? Quality is not necessarily coupled to financing:
there is no direct relationship between better outcomes and
the amount spent on health care [41]. Improving the quality
of care for headache disorders goes beyond better diagnosis
and good treatment, since large numbers of people with
headache do not consult doctors and hence will not benefit
from improvements in care processes. There is clear evidence
of high barriers to care [2], and the need to dismantle
them is high on the agenda for headache-service quality
improvement. Sorting out these issues appears to be a prerequisite
for developing quality indicators for headache
services, but it has not been done.
Our study has strengths: the systematic nature of the
literature search and review and the incorporation of
information from studies that provided indirect evidence
relevant to the development of quality indicators. Its main
limitation was that we were able to search only for publicly
available quality indicators and implementation studies: it
is possible that insurance companies or other health management
organizations have developed, validated and
implemented proprietary quality indicators that have not
been published. Of course, if such indicators exist, it might
be asked whose perspective(s) they reflect.
In conclusion, we identified a number of studies providing
evidence of the value of specific types, strategies and
measures of headache treatment, but much further work is
needed to incorporate these findings into the development of
valid and practical quality indicators. There is no agreed
definition of ‘‘quality’’ of headache care, and no considered
view on how the non-aligned perspectives of different
stakeholders in headache care should be placed in order of
DiscussionWhile many quality indicators have been developed toevaluate headache care, evidence regarding their reliability,validity and practicality is lacking. They emphasize processesof care rather than outcomes, and ignore structure.Most cover areas of routine assessment, but do not clearlyspecify the tool or process to be used in evaluation. Othersdescribe desirable treatment in broad terms, includingdiagnosis, management or administration of particular testsor drugs. None of the identified measures report inter-raterreliability or other psychometric properties. They are notclearly applicable to different levels and locations ofheadache care. There is no evidence that any of them havebeen used for quality improvement, although this is presumablythe purpose for which they were developed.The process of developing quality indicators was not, inany of the studies, begun with, or therefore informed by, anagreed definition of ‘‘quality’’. What is surprising is thatneither did these studies attempt to construct a definition, inthe specific context of headache care, as a prerequisite fordeveloping indicators of it. While quality is important inhealth care for any condition, and may to that extent have ageneral definition, there are aspects of it that are specific toor of particular importance in headache care. Furthermore,it is not clear that a universally accepted general definition ofquality of care does exist; even its attributes are not whollyagreed [4]. At issue here is whose perspectives matter in themeaning and assessment of health-care quality: patients’,health-care providers’ or payers’? Assuming they all do toan extent, and they are not perfectly aligned, which havepriority? Quality is not necessarily coupled to financing:there is no direct relationship between better outcomes andthe amount spent on health care [41]. Improving the qualityof care for headache disorders goes beyond better diagnosisand good treatment, since large numbers of people withheadache do not consult doctors and hence will not benefitfrom improvements in care processes. There is clear evidenceof high barriers to care [2], and the need to dismantlethem is high on the agenda for headache-service qualityimprovement. Sorting out these issues appears to be a prerequisitefor developing quality indicators for headacheservices, but it has not been done.Our study has strengths: the systematic nature of theliterature search and review and the incorporation ofinformation from studies that provided indirect evidencerelevant to the development of quality indicators. Its mainlimitation was that we were able to search only for publiclyavailable quality indicators and implementation studies: itis possible that insurance companies or other health managementorganizations have developed, validated andimplemented proprietary quality indicators that have notbeen published. Of course, if such indicators exist, it mightbe asked whose perspective(s) they reflect.In conclusion, we identified a number of studies providingevidence of the value of specific types, strategies andmeasures of headache treatment, but much further work isneeded to incorporate these findings into the development ofvalid and practical quality indicators. There is no agreeddefinition of ‘‘quality’’ of headache care, and no consideredview on how the non-aligned perspectives of differentstakeholders in headache care should be placed in order of
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