Providers have an opportunity to participate in a pilot program to test EHR clinical quality data submission, according to CMS' fiscal year 2010 IPPS final rule.
CMS and the Office of the National Coordinator for Healthcare Information Technology are working together to harmonize standards for EHR-based submission of ED throughput measures, stroke measures, and venous thromboembolism measures. Each measure has the endorsement of the National Quality Forum and the Reporting Hospital Quality Data for Annual Payment Update (RHQDAPU).
CMS expects to finalize interoperable standards for EHR-based submission of these measures later this year. The agency seeks EHR vendors and hospitals to develop and test data submission and will accept nominations until 6 p.m. EST, December 31, 2009.
The ability to submit quality measures electronically may help providers meet meaningful use requirements, says Kelly McLendon, RHIA. McLendon, president of Health Information Xperts in Titusville, FL, adds that this is a prerequisite to EHR incentives pursuant to the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act.
CMS acknowledges in its final rule that "the RHQDAPU program and the HITECH Act have important areas of overlap and synergy with respect to the reporting of quality measures using EHRs." The agency hopes the incentives will encourage use of certified EHRs to report clinical quality measures pursuant to RHQDAPU and also provide a foundation for hospitals to send and receive quality measures for future RHQDAPU program measures.
The ability to submit quality measures electronically also would be a big timesaver, says Marianne Dailey, RHIT, CHP, CPHQ, director of HIM and privacy officer for Central Peninsula Hospital in Soldotna, AK. "A more automated process would be great to work toward," she says.
CMS requires hospitals and vendors that participate in the testing to meet the following criteria:
- The ability to submit clinical EHR data using interoperability standards, such as Cross Document Sharing, Cross Community Access, Clinical Data Architecture, and Health Level 7 to a CMS-designated clinical data repository
- Have established or have applied for a QualityNet account
Determine your eligibility and obtain more information about these capabilities by visiting http://www.cms.hhs.gov/HospitalQualityInits/.
Potential participants who wish to be considered for the development and testing process should send a self-nomination letter to:
RHQDAPU Program IT Testing Nomination
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Office of Clinical Standards and Quality
Quality Measurement and Health Assessment Group
7500 Security Boulevard
Mail Stop S3-02-01
Baltimore, MD 21244-8532
CMS states in the 2010 final rule that it will give preference to EHR vendors and hospitals that use:
- EHRs currently certified by the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology
- The National Health Information Network
- Health Information Technology Standards Panel/Integrating the Healthcare Environment standards