National Quality Forum/The Leapfrog Group share same goals. (Reader Feed Back Dear Editor).

I am concerned that the way my comments were taken out of context and highlighted in the recent article (The Physician Executive, November/December 2001) about The Leapfrog Group and the National Quality Forum creates an inaccurate and misleading perception that there is competition and tension between the two entities. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

The NQF and Leapfrog were established with much the same goal in mind, but based on different organizational governance structures, operating models and expected longevities.

While recognizing such differences, we are committed to the same goals of quality improvement and safer health care, and we view our efforts as complementary to each other.

We have been and expect to continue working together quite closely. Indeed, I believe that our goals are intimately aligned and that we have a highly collaborative and mutually reinforcing agenda.

Kenneth Kizer, MD, MPH, CPE, FACPE

President and CEO

The National Quality Forum

The Physician Executive welcomes letters to the editor. All letters are subject to editing for length, clarity, libel and good taste. Pen names are not allowed and anonymous letters will not be published. By mail, letters should be sent to: Bill Steiger, c/o ACPE, 4890 West Kennedy Blvd., Suite 200, Tampa, FL 33609. Or by e-mail to: [e-mail].