High Priority Status: No; N/A
NQF Number: N/A
Percentage of patients age 18 years and older who were diagnosed with new onset dysphonia within 2 months after a thyroidectomy who received or were referred for a laryngeal examination to examine vocal fold/cord mobility, and, if abnormal vocal fold mobility is identified, receive a plan of care for voice rehabilitation.
Denominator:
- All patients 18 years and older diagnosed with new onset dysphonia within 2 months after a thyroidectomy.
- All patients who received a laryngeal examination and identified with abnormal vocal fold mobility.
Dysphonia definition: Dysphonia is a disorder characterized by harsh and raspy voice arising from or spreading to the larynx. For the purposes of this measure, dysphonia refers to a change or hoarseness in the patient’s voice.
Denominator Exclusions:
Exclude patients diagnosed with dysphonia or vocal fold paralysis prior to thyroidectomy and patients undergoing concurrent laryngectomy at the time of thyroidectomy.
Denominator Exceptions:
Patient refusal of laryngeal examination or plan of care for treatment.
Numerator:
- Patients who received or were referred for a laryngeal examination to examine vocal fold/cord mobility. Laryngeal examination definition: examination by a qualified examiner utilizing flexible laryngoscopy, or stroboscopy to examine vocal fold/cord mobility.
- Patients who received a plan of care for voice rehabilitation.
Plan of care for voice rehabilitation includes one of the following:
- Voice and/or swallowing therapy or referral for voice and/or swallowing therapy to a speech-language pathologist; or
- Surgical therapy, including but not limited to:
- Injection laryngoplasty
- Framework procedures – operations to improve vocal fold mobility
- Reinnervation – operation to improve vocal fold position, or
- Medical therapy
Numerator Exclusions:
None
Measure Classifications:
- Measure Type: Process
- National Quality Strategy (NQS) domain: Effective Clinical Care
- Meaningful Measures Area: Appropriate Use of Healthcare
- Care Setting(s): Ambulatory Care: Clinician Office/Clinic
- Includes Telehealth: Yes
- Number of Performance Rates: 1
- Inverse measure: No
- Continuous measure: No
- Proportional measure: Yes
- Ratio measure: No
- Risk-adjusted measure: No
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