/ en Sat, 26 Apr 2025 00:02:57 -0500 Mon, 17 Apr 23 15:34:27 -0500 /news/headline/2023-04-17-aha-launches-learning-hub-health-care-quality-leaders <p>AHA recently launched the Quality Collective, an exclusive peer-to-peer learning hub for health care quality leaders. </p> <p>"We are thrilled to launch The Quality Collective and offer an unprecedented experience to health care quality leaders," <a href="/press-releases/2023-04-12-aha-launches-innovative-program-drive-quality-improvement-healthcare">said</a> AHA Vice President of Clinical Quality Marie Cleary-Fishman. "Our community provides an innovative space for members to learn from one another, share experiences, and co-create solutions to the most pressing quality issues. By working together, we can make a significant impact on the lives of patients and improve the quality of care in our field."</p> <p>Hosted by the AHA's Living Learning Network, the program invites quality professionals to join and collaborate on new solutions for quality improvement. <a href="/center/living-learning-network">LEARN MORE</a>. </p> Mon, 17 Apr 2023 15:34:27 -0500 Electronic Clinical Quality Measures /news/headline/2019-11-07-reminder-nov-14-call-hospital-clinical-laboratory-reporting <p>The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will host a Nov. 14 call for clinical diagnostic laboratories, including hospital outreach laboratories, on reporting data for the Clinical Diagnostic Test Payment System in 2020. The <a href="/news/headline/2018-11-01-cms-releases-final-physician-fee-schedule-rule-cy-2019">physician fee schedule final rule</a> for calendar year 2019 defined many hospital outreach laboratories as “applicable laboratories” under the Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule, requiring them to collect private payer payment rates and volumes in 2019 and report the data in 2020. To register for the call, click <a href="https://blh.ier.intercall.com/details/ee590aa114fc443a999da6bcd88993b7">here</a>. </p> Thu, 07 Nov 2019 14:59:43 -0600 Electronic Clinical Quality Measures /news/headline/2019-10-30-cms-call-nov-14-new-hospital-clinical-laboratory-reporting-requirement <p>The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will host a Nov. 14 call for clinical diagnostic laboratories, including hospital outreach laboratories, on reporting data for the Clinical Diagnostic Test Payment System in 2020. The <a href="/news/headline/2018-11-01-cms-releases-final-physician-fee-schedule-rule-cy-2019">physician fee schedule final rule</a> for calendar year 2019 defined many hospital outreach laboratories as “applicable laboratories” under the Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule, requiring them to collect private payer payment rates and volumes in 2019 and report the data in 2020. To register for the call, click <a href="https://blh.ier.intercall.com/details/ee590aa114fc443a999da6bcd88993b7">here</a>. </p> Wed, 30 Oct 2019 14:29:49 -0500 Electronic Clinical Quality Measures /news/headline/2019-08-15-study-hospital-quality-rating-systems-need-improvement <p>Currently available public hospital quality rating systems frequently offer conflicting results, which may mislead stakeholders relying on the ratings to identify top-performing hospitals, according to an <a href="https://catalyst.nejm.org/evaluation-hospital-quality-rating-systems">analysis</a> published yesterday by NEJM Catalyst. The authors evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of four public hospital quality rating systems based on their experience as physician scientists with methodological expertise in health care quality measurement: the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Hospital Compare overall star ratings; Healthgrades Top Hospitals; U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals; and Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade and Leapfrog Top Hospitals. “Each rating system had unique weaknesses that led to potential misclassification of hospital performance, ranging from inclusion of flawed measures, use of proprietary data that are not validated, and methodological decisions,” the authors said.<br />  </p> Thu, 15 Aug 2019 14:33:26 -0500 Electronic Clinical Quality Measures /news/headline/2019-07-30-cms-issues-fy-2020-final-payment-rule-skilled-nursing-facilities <p>The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services late today issued a <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2019-16485.pdf">final rule</a> updating payment rates for skilled nursing facilities for fiscal year 2020. CMS finalized a net payment increase of 2.4%, or $851 million, compared to FY 2019. This includes a 2.8% market-basket update, offset by a statutorily required 0.4% productivity reduction.<br />   <br /> The rule also adds more detail to the new SNF payment model that was finalized in last year's rulemaking. The new model is projected to contribute to substantial payment improvements for hospital-based SNFs in FY 2020 (12.4% increase for urban and 23.1% increase for rural hospital-based SNFs).<br />   <br /> In addition, as proposed, the rule implements a process for updating ICD-10 codes under the new payment model, and a new, more flexible definition for group therapy that aligns with other post-acute settings.<br />   <br /> CMS also finalized the adoption of two new quality measures on transfer of patient health information in the SNF Quality Reporting Program, as well as the adoption of several standardized patient assessment data elements. However, CMS did not finalize its proposal to require reporting of patient assessment data for all patients regardless of payer.</p> Tue, 30 Jul 2019 16:06:22 -0500 Electronic Clinical Quality Measures /news/headline/2019-07-12-hrsa-project-recognizes-top-cah-quality-reporting-states <p>The Health Resources and Services Administration yesterday <a href="https://www.hrsa.gov/about/news/press-releases/hrsa-recognizes-states-critical-access-hospitals">recognized</a> 10 states whose critical access hospitals had the highest quality reporting rates and performance improvement under the Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project during the past year: Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Michigan, Utah, Alabama, Nebraska, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy project uses Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program grants to help CAHs voluntarily report on certain quality measures relevant to the care they provide, share data and participate in quality improvement initiatives. Of those engaging in improvement initiatives, 72% have improved outcomes on the reported measures.</p> <p>"MBQIP is part of a broader portfolio of activities within HRSA to preserve hospitals and help rural communities to continue their access to quality health care,” said HRSA Administrator George Sigounas. “Ensuring rural hospital viability is an important component of HRSA's strategic efforts on high quality and value-based care.”<br />  </p> Fri, 12 Jul 2019 15:16:19 -0500 Electronic Clinical Quality Measures /news/headline/2019-02-28-cms-extends-deadline-submit-ecqm-pip-attestation-data <p>The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has extended to March 14 the deadline for hospitals participating in the Inpatient Quality Reporting and/or Promoting Interoperability Programs to submit data for at least four <a href="https://www.qualitynet.org/dcs/ContentServer?c=Page&pagename=QnetPublic%2FPage%2FQnetTier2&cid=1228773849716">electronic clinical quality measures</a> from any quarter of calendar year 2018 to receive a full payment update in fiscal year 2020. The data had been due today. CMS also extended the attestation <a href="https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/EHRIncentivePrograms/index.html">deadline</a> for the Promoting Interoperability Program from Feb. 28 to March 14. “CMS understands that some hospitals and their health information technology vendors need additional time to submit their eCQM data and attest for Medicare Promoting Interoperability requirements,” the agency <a href="https://ecqi.healthit.gov/ecqi/ecqi-news/cms-announces-ecqm-and-promoting-interoperability-program-submission-deadline-extension-march-14-2019-1159-p.m.-pt-cy-2018-hospital-iqr-and-promoting-interoperability-programs-hospitals">said</a>. “This extension is intended to reduce reporting burden and is part of CMS’ continued commitment to ensuring successful data submissions to the Hospital IQR and Medicare Promoting Interoperability Programs.” Hospitals unable to report eCQM data to the IQR program by March 14 may request an <a href="http://www.qualitynet.org/dcs/ContentServer?c=Page&pagename=QnetPublic%2FPage%2FQnetTier3&cid=1228775554109">extraordinary circumstances exception</a> through April 1. <a href="https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/EHRIncentivePrograms/PaymentAdj_Hardship.html">Hardship exceptions</a> for the Promoting Interoperability Program have a different request process and timeline.</p> Thu, 28 Feb 2019 15:33:14 -0600 Electronic Clinical Quality Measures /news/headline/2019-01-23-cms-webinar-jan-29-ecqm-reporting-calendar-year-2018 <p>The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will host a Jan. 29 webinar on electronic clinical quality measure reporting for the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting and Promoting Interoperability Programs. The 2 p.m. ET webinar will address questions related to aligned reporting of eCQMs for the two programs for calendar year 2018. To register, <a href="https://cc.readytalk.com/registration/#/?meeting=x5e9cuvoptwp&campaign=saag94istjvy">click here</a>. The webinar slides will be available for download the day before at <a href="https://www.qualityreportingcenter.com/">www.qualityreportingcenter.com</a>.</p> Wed, 23 Jan 2019 14:36:07 -0600 Electronic Clinical Quality Measures /news/headline/2019-01-08-reminder-cms-call-new-hospital-clinical-laboratory-data-reporting <p>The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will host a Jan. 22 call for clinical diagnostic laboratories, including hospital outreach laboratories, on collecting and reporting data for the Clinical Diagnostic Test Payment System. Under the physician fee schedule <a href="/news/headline/2018-11-01-cms-releases-final-physician-fee-schedule-rule-cy-2019">final rule</a> for calendar year 2019, many hospital outreach laboratories will now be defined as “applicable laboratories” under the Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule, requiring them to begin collecting and reporting their private payer payment rates and volumes during the upcoming CLFS data collection and reporting periods. To register for the call, which will include a question-and-answer session, visit <a href="https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Outreach/NPC/National-Provider-Calls-and-Events-Items/2019-01-22-CLFS.html?DLPage=1&DLEntries=10&DLSort=0&DLSortDir=descending">www.cms.gov</a>. </p> Tue, 08 Jan 2019 14:55:12 -0600 Electronic Clinical Quality Measures /news/headline/2018-12-21-cms-call-new-hospital-clinical-laboratory-data-reporting-requirements <p>The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will host a Jan. 22 call for clinical diagnostic laboratories, including hospital outreach laboratories, on collecting and reporting data for the Clinical Diagnostic Test Payment System. Under the <a href="/news/headline/2018-11-01-cms-releases-final-physician-fee-schedule-rule-cy-2019">physician fee schedule final rule</a> for calendar year 2019, many hospital outreach laboratories will now be defined as “applicable laboratories” under the Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule, requiring them to begin collecting and reporting their private payer payment rates and volumes during the upcoming CLFS data collection and reporting periods. To register for the call, which will include a question-and-answer session, visit <a href="https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Outreach/NPC/National-Provider-Calls-and-Events-Items/2019-01-22-CLFS.html?DLPage=1&DLEntries=10&DLSort=0&DLSortDir=descending">www.cms.gov</a>. </p> Fri, 21 Dec 2018 14:41:35 -0600 Electronic Clinical Quality Measures