National Quality Strategy Releases New Brief on Healthy Living

The National Quality Strategy (NQS) has released a new issue brief on the health and well-being of communities, part of its Priorities in Focus series that spotlights current issues, recent federal initiatives to improve care quality and data demonstrating improvement in each of the six NQS priority areas. The brief aligns with AHRQ’sChartbook on Healthy Living that draws on data from the agency’s2015 National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report (QDR). The NQS brief features new QDR data showing significant improvements over time in areas of healthy living and disparities.

Priorities in Action: A monthly feature of a program, activity or initiative that aligns to one or more of the six NQS priorities.

The National Quality Strategy was first published in March 2011 and is led by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality on behalf of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Established as part of the Affordable Care Act, the National Quality Strategy (PDF, 215 KB: Plugin Help) serves as a catalyst and compass for a nationwide focus on quality improvement efforts and approach to measuring quality. The National Quality Strategy is guided by three aims to provide better, more affordable care for individuals and the community.

To achieve these aims, the National Quality Strategy applies six priorities that address the range of quality concerns that affect most Americans. These aims and priorities have the potential to rapidly improve health outcomes and increase the effectiveness of care for all populations. Achievement of the National Quality Strategy can only occur if individuals, family members, payers, providers, employers, and communities work together, and this cross-sector activity is well underway.