CMS Expands HospitalCompare Data

The agency also "refreshed" data in other quality metrics for both inpatient and outpatient settings, Berwick said. For example, the site now shows whether patients "who are treated for a suspected heart attack received proven therapies to reduce heart attack such as getting an aspirin on arrival, whether patients are protected from surgical site infections and whether patients are receiving safe and effective and efficient imaging services by reporting rates of MRI for low back pain, (and) outpatient retests after screening mammograms."

The site also includes ways of measuring "how frequently outpatient departments give patients double scans when a single scan may be all that's required."

The second part of the expansion involves a consolidated format through which people seeking information can look at a new QualityFinder for information across the spectrum of providers from hospitals, nursing homes, home health services, dialysis facilities, physicians and Medicare Advantage plans.

And the third part of the expansion involves an expanded scope of work for Quality Improvement Organizations, which will promote preventive services. They will also add in a way to include beneficiaries and front line clinicians in quality improvement initiatives.