The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has released the final 2014 clinical quality measures for eligible professionals and eligible hospitals, and the specifications for electronic reporting.
Beginning in 2014, providers will need to report the new CQMs whether they are reporting in Stage 1 or Stage 2 of the Meaningful Use program. Eligible professionals will report on nine of 64 CQMs; eligible hospitals will report on 16 of 29 hospitals.
When selecting the CQMs to report, providers must select ones that cover at least three of six domains that have been identified as U.S. Department of Health & Human Services National Quality Strategy priorities for healthcare quality improvement, according to CMS' tip sheet. The domains are:
- Patient and Family Engagement
- Patient Safety
- Care Coordination
- Population and Public Health
- Efficient Use of Healthcare Resources
- Clinical Processes/Effectiveness
CQMs were a core meaningful use objective in Stage 1 of the program. They no longer are a core Meaningful Use objective, but providers are still required to submit CQMs in order to successfully participate in the program, according to CMS.
Attestation also will change, going by the wayside. Beginning in 2014, providers beyond their first year of Meaningful Use must report CQM data electronically. CMS also has posted the specifications for this reporting on its website.
CMS is providing new resources to help providers with these changes, including a Data Element Catalog, a Value Set Authority Center, and a United States Health Information Knowledgebase, according to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT.
The final rule, published in the Federal Register on Sept. 4, contained several errors concerning the CQMs. The agency issued a document in October to correct these and other errors.
To learn more:
- read CMS' CQM tip sheet
- learn about the e-reporting
- read ONC's blog