Performance Measures in Dialysis Facilities: What Is the Goal?

As the care of patients gets more focused and directed by predetermined standards of care, physicians must not lose sight of the primary focus of their treatment goalmaximizing the quality of life of each patient. Physicians must recognize the uniqueness of each individual's experience and make every effort to understand the domains that are of concern to each patient. In addition, physicians must make sure that this focus is not obscured by the setting of arbitrary standards and targets that lend themselves to easy assessments and reporting by simple laboratory measures or computer-generated data. Finally, physicians must focus on modifying and tailoring treatment to maximize each patient's health-related quality of life.