Meaningful Use requirements and updates can be a lot to keep up with, as it seems like changes
are happening constantly. So we want to take a minute to talk about meaningful use requirements for eCQMs, or electronic clinical quality measures. eCQM’s are reports that measure and track the quality of health care services being provided. These reports are created with a wide variety of data that is associated with a practice’s ability to deliver high-quality care or relate to long term goals for health care quality.
To become more prepared for Meaningful Use criteria and eCQMs in 2015 check out this information that we think you need to know. We'll go over what eCQMs are and how you need to report on them, NQS domains, and QRDA.
Meaningful Use Criteria for eCQMs that You Need to Know
When it comes to measuring your clinical quality, things can get a bit confusing. eCQMs are only one part of the Meaningful Use process, but it still needs to be done correctly. One myth is that Meaningful Use and CQM reporting periods must align perfectly, this is false. Meaningful Use and CQM reporting periods do not have to be the same measurement period. The reporting period for CQMs is 90 days for the first year. And after the first year, the reporting period is 1 quarter of the calendar year.
For 2014, reporting on eCQMs requires 9 measurements from across 3 National Quality Strategy domains (NQS). Your CQM output must come directly from your EHR software. If you implement a new EHR during your reporting period, the CMS will allow EPs using a 2014 certified system to submit CQMs as an additive number from the two different certified systems as long as you're using the same 9 certified CQMs across both certified systems.
What are NQS Domains?
NQS was developed by more than 300 groups, organizations, and individuals representing all sectors of the health care industry. The goal of the NQS is to provide better, more affordable healthcare for both the individual and the community.
The 6 National Domains Include:
- Patient and Family Engagement
- Patient Safety
- Care Coordination
- Population and Public Health
- Efficient Use of Healthcare Resources
- Clinical Processes
What is QRDA?
So how does a practice go about reporting and exchanging this information once it is collected? This is accomplished through the use of QRDA. QRDA (Quality Reporting Document Architecture) is a standard document format for the exchange of eCQM data. These reports contain data extracted from EHRs and are used for the exchange of eCQM data between systems for quality measurement and reporting initiatives. To streamline implementations, QRDA makes use of CDA templates, which are business rules for representing clinical data consistently.
If you're participating in Meaningful Use you are well aware that the constant updates and deadline adjustments can be hard to keep track of. That's why we want to help! Stay tuned to the blog for more information about Meaningful Use and CQM updates and information!