Continuous Improvement and the Expansion of Quality ... - NCQA

T H E S TAT E o f H E A l T H C A R E Q U A l I T y 2 0 1 1 • H E D I S M E A S U R E S o f C A R E
folloW-UP CARE foR CHIlDREN
PRESCRIbED ADHD MEDICATIoN
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) typically begins in childhood and often persists
into adulthood. 1 The disorder is characterized by inattention and impulsiveness, which can result
in academic underachievement, family issues and behavioral problems. 2,3 The Follow-Up Care
for Children Prescribed ADHD Medication measure assesses two rates of follow-up care for
children between 6 and 12 years of age who are prescribed ADHD medication.
• ADHD is one of the most common mental
disorders in children. Almost 4 percent of
children in the United States between the ages
of 4 and 10 are medicated for ADHD. 1,4,5
• Data from the National Health Interview
Survey suggest that roughly half of children
between 6 and 11 who are diagnosed with
ADHD may also have a learning disorder. 3
The combination of attention problems
caused by ADHD and the learning disorder
can make it hard for a child to succeed
in school. boys are twice as likely to have
ADHD than girls. 1,3
the Case for Improvement
• The annual cost of illness for ADHD in the
U.S. is estimated to be more than $42 billion. 6
• ADHD may culminate in significant health
care-related costs, including frequent
unintentional injuries, co-occurring
psychiatric conditions and productivity loss. 7
• Combining behavioral therapy with
medication has been shown to improve
behavior and could lead to a decrease in
medication dependence. 8
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HEdIs Measure definition
The following two rates of this measure assess
follow-up care for children prescribed an
ADHD medication:
• Initiation Phase: The percentage of children
between 6 and 12 years of age diagnosed
with ADHD who had one follow-up
visit with a practitioner with prescribing
authority within 30 days of their first
prescription of ADHD medication.
• Continuation and Maintenance Phase:
The percentage of children between 6
and 12 years of age with a prescription
for ADHD medication who remained on
the medication for at least 210 days and
had at least two follow-up visits with a
practitioner in the 9 months subsequent to
the Initiation Phase.
results
Medications used to treat ADHD have known
side effects and, like all medications, need to
be closely monitored by a practitioner with
prescribing authority.
M E A S U R E S T A R G E T E D A T C H I l D R E N A N D A D o l E S C E N T S