HEDIS

HEDIS measures are divided into eight categories:

1. Effectiveness of Care
2. Access/Availability of Care
3. Satisfaction With the Experience of Care
4. Health Plan Stability
5. Use of Services
6. Cost of Care
7. Informed Choices
8. Health Plan Descriptive Information

Measures are added, deleted, and revised annually. For example, a measure for the length of stay after giving birth was deleted after legislation mandating minimum length of stay rendered this measure nearly useless. Increased attention to medical care for seniors prompted the addition of measures related to glaucoma screening and osteoporosis treatment for older adults. Other health care concerns covered by HEDIS are immunizations, cancer screenings, treatment after heart attacks, diabetes, asthma, flu shots, access to services, dental care, alcohol and drug dependence treatment, timeliness of handling claims and phone calls, prenatal and postpartum care, mental health care, well-care or preventive visits, inpatient utilization, drug utilization, and distribution of members by age, sex, and product lines. New measures in 2007 address potentially harmful drug-disease interactions in the elderly and relative resource use for diabetes, asthma and acute low back pain.