Meaningful Use Cinical Quality Measures simplified
Reporting Clinical Quality Measures (CQMs) is only one of the fifteen core Meaningful Use measures required to qualify for EHR incentives. The measure simply requires providers to attest that they did or did not report ambulatory clinical quality measures to CMS. What does this mean though?
There are 3 core ambulatory clinical quality measures and 3 alternative core ambulatory clinical quality measures. Every provider must report on the 3 core measures. If some of these core criteria do not apply to a practice, the provider must report on up to three alternative core measures. In total, providers must report three of the core/alternative core measures.
Further, providers must select and report on 3 of 38 menu CQMs. Providers may choose whichever measures are most relevant to their practice with the only requirement being that they report on three menu measures. In sum, providers must report to CMS on 6 measures.
Providers do not need to reach or exceed a specific threshold to qualify for Meaningful Use incentives. He/she simply needs to report his/her practice’s performance to CMS. Once reported, the provider is eligible to attest to his/her compliance with the Meaningful Use criteria.
Dr. Robert Rowley, Chief Medical Officer at Practice Fusion, is hosting a webinar on April 28, 2011 at 4 PM PST / 7 PM EST to review key elements of Meaningful Use with a specific concentration on the requirements for clinical quality measures. He will review each core and menu CQM and discuss potentially applicable exclusions. He will also discuss how providers using Practice Fusion will report their measures to CMS. For more information and registration information, visit the registration page.
