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07/01/26

Aligning the stars: quality metrics must evolve from screening rates to diagnostic resolution.

Buist, Diana S M; Smith, Robert A; Fendrick, A Mark. Am J Manag Care.

Collection Topics
Business Case for Excellence Culture, Work System, and Implementation Measurement, Monitoring, and Event Analysis Equity, Access, and Timeliness
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Summary

A complete screening test does not necessarily produce a finalized diagnostic pathway. This commentary discusses how quality metrics should move beyond screening uptake to measure timely diagnostic resolution after abnormal findings. The authors identify financial barriers and performance measures that reward testing without follow-up as contributors to “screening purgatory” and call for incentives that encompass the full screening-to-diagnosis continuum, including equity and patient outcomes.
Read the paper
Buist DSM, Smith RA, Fendrick AM. Aligning the stars: quality metrics must evolve from screening rates to diagnostic resolution. Am J Manag Care. 2026;32(7):376-379.