Measuring the Value-Functions of Primary Care: Provider Level Continuity of Care Measure
Identifying Attributes
Care Settings
Primary Care
Country
United States of America
Publishing Organisation
Core Quality Measures Collaborative (CQMC) Consensus Core Set: Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), Patient Centered Medical Homes (PCMHs), and Primary Care
Type of Quality Indicator
Process
IOM Quality Dimension
Effectiveness
Domain
Service Delivery and Care Planning
Defining Attributes
Definition
This measure evaluates continuity of care for each physician.
Numerator
The number of patients with a continuity index of at least 0.7.
Denominator
The total number of patients with continuous enrolment with at least 2 visits to any primary care physicians in the measurement period. The requirement of continuous enrolment ensures that all of the patient encounters will be captured in the data, and the requirement of at least 2 visits is necessary to calculate a Continuity of Care index (the notion of "continuity" isn't applicable to someone who only has 1 physician visit, i.e., there needs to be at least 2 visits to determine if they consistently visit the same or different physicians).
Exclusions
None
Use of Risk Adjustment
No
Risk Adjustments
None
Stratifications
None
Collection and Reporting Attributes
Type of Data Collection
Administrative data
Data Collection Methods
Reporting is specific to sub-program
Frequency of Data Collection
Frequency of Data Collection in Days
Reporting Methods
Reporting Frequency
Reporting Frequency in Days
Indicator Has Recommended Targets
No
Source and Reference Attributes
Evidence Source
Technical Specifications
Link to Measurement Tools
Quality Indicator Confirmed to be Part of a Program Used to Monitor Quality and Safety of Care Among Older People at a Population-Level between 2012-2022
Yes
Assessed by the Australian Consortium for Aged Care Collaborators as Generally Containing Good Properties (Importance and Scientific Acceptability)
No
Australian Consortium for Aged Care Endorsed
No
Identified by PHARMA-Care Project
No
Upload Date
02 December 2025
Contents
Actions
Date Modified 02 December 2025