Whose outcomes. Patients, providers, or payers?

While it is clear that measuring outcomes is important, choosing which outcomes to measure remains unclear. Controversy exists in outcomes measurement as to which specific outcome measures should be selected. Additionally, should one set of outcome measures be used for one purpose, such as comparing overall medical outcomes and another set used for another purpose, such as comparing individual patient outcomes? While it becomes obvious that comparisons would be easier if the same outcomes were used, knowing which outcomes to choose to best measure an effect is not always an easy task. The challenge in outcomes measurement comes in selecting outcomes that are comprehensive, comparable, meaningful, and accurate in their reflection of the effects of care.