Quality Measures Added to Physician Compare Website

For the first time, quality measures have been added to Physician Compare, a website intended to help consumers search for information about healthcare providers, states a February 21, 2014, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) press release. The new quality measures include: controlling blood pressure and blood sugar levels in diabetic patients, prescribing aspirin to patients with diabetes and heart disease, and prescribing medications to improve the pumping action of the heart in patients who have both heart disease and certain other conditions. Provider ratings are displayed using stars and also a percentage score that is intended to make the information easier for consumers to scan and compare.