The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has issued a "Request for Information on Hospital and Vendor Readiness for Electronic Health Records Hospital Inpatient Quality Data Reporting."
The request is designed to determine hospitals' and vendors' readiness to begin reporting certain patent-level data for the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program using the same certified EHRs that hospitals use to report data under the EHR Incentive Program.
One of CMS' goals for reporting quality data electronically include reducing hospitals' reporting burden by using EHRs to submit data on clinical quality measures that overlap between the Hospital IQR Program and the EHR Incentive Program. In addition, CMS aims to standardize electronic specifications for CQMs and support quality care improvement.
To determine hospitals' and vendors' readiness, CMS listed multiple questions in its request for information, including the following:
• How do hospitals and vendors perceive the alignment of EHR-based reporting and hospital quality reporting programs? What are the foreseen benefits and challenges?
• Do hospitals and vendors envision being able to meet the criteria for reporting CQMs electronically for the EHR Incentive Program as set forth in the EHR Incentive Program Stage 2 final rule and any related guidance issued? If not, what are the issues in meeting the requirements and what additional information is needed?
• Is the hospital planning to electronically report CQM data — specifically venous thromboembolism, stroke and emergency department measures — under the Medicare EHR Incentive Program in fiscal year 2014?
• Does the hospital plan to report data leveraging any state health information exchange initiative?
• Does the hospital plan to report data leveraging the Nationwide Health Information Network Exchange, which is now the eHealth Exchange?
Responses to the request for information are due Jan. 22.
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The request is designed to determine hospitals' and vendors' readiness to begin reporting certain patent-level data for the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program using the same certified EHRs that hospitals use to report data under the EHR Incentive Program.
One of CMS' goals for reporting quality data electronically include reducing hospitals' reporting burden by using EHRs to submit data on clinical quality measures that overlap between the Hospital IQR Program and the EHR Incentive Program. In addition, CMS aims to standardize electronic specifications for CQMs and support quality care improvement.
To determine hospitals' and vendors' readiness, CMS listed multiple questions in its request for information, including the following:
• How do hospitals and vendors perceive the alignment of EHR-based reporting and hospital quality reporting programs? What are the foreseen benefits and challenges?
• Do hospitals and vendors envision being able to meet the criteria for reporting CQMs electronically for the EHR Incentive Program as set forth in the EHR Incentive Program Stage 2 final rule and any related guidance issued? If not, what are the issues in meeting the requirements and what additional information is needed?
• Is the hospital planning to electronically report CQM data — specifically venous thromboembolism, stroke and emergency department measures — under the Medicare EHR Incentive Program in fiscal year 2014?
• Does the hospital plan to report data leveraging any state health information exchange initiative?
• Does the hospital plan to report data leveraging the Nationwide Health Information Network Exchange, which is now the eHealth Exchange?
Responses to the request for information are due Jan. 22.
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