The measurement and publication of clinical
outcomes has been recognised as a driver of better patient care. As a result,
governments, healthcare payers and providers, and even individual clinicians
have embarked on outcome measurement programmes. Efforts have started modestly,
but hierarchical outcome frameworks have been defined and condition specific
outcome measure repositories are being developed across the medical
specialties. It is foreseeable that there will be robust, standardised sets of
outcomes measures for all of the major conditions. Proportionate mechanisms for
collecting, triangulating, storing and risk adjusting these measures are also
being developed.