Why Should Clinicians Participate in the AQUA Registry?

The American Urological Association (AUA) Quality (AQUA)^® Registry is a national Qualified Clinical Data Registry that empowers urologists to improve quality measures, benchmark their performance against other practices, enhance patient outcomes, and contribute to impactful research.

In this Q&A, Jennifer Bepple, MD, MMCi, double-board certified in urology and informatics, and medical advisor to Verana Health, shares her insights on how the AQUA Registry is helping transform urologic care.

Q: How can participating in the AQUA Registry improve clinical practice?  

Dr. Bepple: Participation in the AQUA Registry offers urologists many resources to enhance clinical practice:

• MIPS Reporting: The AQUA Registry simplifies the process of reporting for the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). It streamlines data collection and submission, helping clinicians meet regulatory requirements, while focusing on patient care.
• Quality Measures Dashboards: These dashboards provide actionable insights by benchmarking a practice’s performance against national standards. By identifying areas for improvement, clinicians can refine their approach and achieve better outcomes.
• Clinical Trials with Verana Trial Connect: The AQUA Registry facilitates clinician involvement in cutting-edge urologic research. Verana Trial Connect links urologists to clinical trials, enabling them to offer patients innovative treatment options while advancing medical knowledge.

Q: How can participating in the AQUA Registry accelerate research?

Dr. Bepple: The AQUA Registry plays a critical role in advancing urologic research by leveraging real-world data to generate real-world evidence that provides a comprehensive view of the patient journey. 

• Contribute de-identified EHR data: Clinicians who participate in the registry contribute de-identified EHR data, which is invaluable for research and quality improvement initiatives.
• Urology Qdata^® insights: Verana Health’s research-ready datasets in urology provide insights into diagnosis, progression, and treatment of urological diseases. 
• Collaborative research opportunities: Through the AUA partnership, the registry supports joint research efforts that drive evidence-based advancements in urologic care. For life sciences companies, tools such as Site Explorer enable targeted clinical trial site selection based on real-world insights. 

Q: Could you share examples of how real-world data can improve patient diagnosis and treatment outcomes?

Dr. Bepple: RWD is a game changer in urologic care for several reasons: 

• Enhanced understanding of disease patterns: Large datasets help identify patterns and trends in treatment and diagnosis. This helps in understanding the prevalence and risk factors associated with conditions and their outcomes. For example, Qdata Prostate Cancer provides critical insights into treatment responses and disease progression, which is valuable in pinpointing critical moments and detailed treatment outcomes during the patient journey.

• Improved predictive models: Incorporating real-world data into predictive analytics can improve the accuracy of models used to forecast disease progression and treatment outcomes.

• Monitoring treatment effectiveness and safety: Post-market surveillance of new therapies using real-world data allows for improved monitoring of efficacy and safety.

• Patient-reported outcomes and quality of life: Collecting and analyzing patient-reported outcomes through surveys and digital health tools can provide insights into the impact of conditions and treatments on patients’ quality of life. 

Q: As someone who has knowledge in both clinical practice and technology, what advice can you offer urologists who are trying to navigate their way through this digital age?

Dr. Bepple: Navigating the digital age can be challenging for urologists, but it also offers many opportunities to enhance patient care and improve practice efficiency. Here are a few recommendations:

1. Prioritize data security: As you incorporate digital tools, prioritize data security and patient privacy. First, “do no harm.”

2. Engage in continuous education and stay informed on digital health innovations: Take advantage of opportunities to stay current and provide feedback on emerging technologies and digital health trends. This will help you integrate new tools effectively into your practice.

3, Empower patients: Educate your patients about using digital tools to manage their health and improve their knowledge base. Empowered patients can better engage in their care and make informed decisions.

4. Network and collaborate: Share experiences and learn from peers to maximize best practices and digital health innovations.

5. Measure outcomes: Regularly assess the impact of digital tools on clinical efficiency and patient outcomes. Insist on fewer clicks, better outcomes, and reduced burnout.

By proactively embracing digital advancements and continuously adapting to change, urologists can improve patient care, enhance practice efficiency, and remain competitive in the evolving healthcare landscape.

Verana Health is the exclusive data curation and analytics partner of the AQUA Registry. By ingesting and curating real-world data (RWD), such as electronic health records (EHRs) from the AQUA Registry, Verana Health provides valuable insights into the diagnosis, progression, and treatment of urologic conditions, such as prostate cancer, non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), and benign prostatic hyperplasia.