title: Assessment of a novel hybrid Delphi and Nominal Groups technique to evaluate quality indicators.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the implementation of a novel structured panel process in the evaluation of quality indicators.
  
  
  METHODS
  National panel of 64 clinicians rating usefulness of indicator applications in 2008-2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hybrid panel combined Delphi Group and Nominal Group (NG) techniques to evaluate 81 indicator applications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Delphi Group and NG rated 56 percent of indicator applications similarly. Group assignment (Delphi versus Nominal) was not significantly associated with mean ratings, but specialty and research interests of panelists, and indicator factors such as denominator level and proposed use were. Rating distributions narrowed significantly in 20.8 percent of applications between review rounds.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The hybrid panel process facilitated information exchange and tightened rating distributions. Future assessments of this method might include a control panel.
authors.affiliation: Center for Primary Care and Outcomes Research, Stanford University CHP/PCOR, 117 Encina Commons, Stanford, CA 94305-6019, USA. smdavies@stanford.edu
authors.forename: Sheryl
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: Patrick S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.forename: Eric M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schultz
authors.forename: Jeffrey J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Geppert
authors.forename: Kathryn M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: McDonald
mesh_terms: D032921:Consensus; D003697:Delphi Technique; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D014481:United States; D016270:United States Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality