{"id":1367,"date":"2013-10-30T13:26:28","date_gmt":"2013-10-30T13:26:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.billingparadise.com\/blog\/?p=1367"},"modified":"2026-03-17T05:50:29","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T10:50:29","slug":"stage-2-meaningful-use-clinical-quality-measurescqms-the-boulevard-for-high-incentives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.billingparadise.com\/blog\/stage-2-meaningful-use-clinical-quality-measurescqms-the-boulevard-for-high-incentives\/","title":{"rendered":"Stage 2 Meaningful Use Clinical Quality Measures(CQMs) \u2013 The Boulevard for High Incentives"},"content":{"rendered":"

Quality Meliorism in Healthcare<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Quality improvement in the U.S. healthcare system is the key concern for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)<\/strong>, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)<\/strong>, and the Office of the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology (ONC)<\/strong>. These governing bodies have devised a tool, the meaningful use Clinical Quality Measures (CQMs)<\/strong> – so as to assist the evaluation and pursuance of the quality of healthcare services rendered by eligible professionals (EPs)<\/strong>, eligible hospitals (EHs) and critical access hospitals (CAHs) in the healthcare arena.<\/p>\n

As a part of this dynamic initiative, CMS uses clinical quality measures (CQMs) in an array of featured-programs. ONC endorses that electronic health record (EHR) technologies are competent in exactly computing the CQM outcomes for the meaningful use incentive plan.<\/p>\n

The Mandatory 1st<\/sup> Stage in Meaningful Use CQMs<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

CMS has made an announcement on September 4 2012, about the final rule that stipulates the Stage 2 standards for eligible professionals (EPs), eligible hospitals (EHs),<\/strong> and critical access hospitals (CAHs)<\/strong> to facilitate their partaking in the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR)<\/strong> Incentive Programs. All providers could move to Stage 2 criteria only after the accomplishment of Stage 1 meaningful use CQMs.<\/p>\n

\u201cStage 2\u201d CQMs \u2013 Reporting Pattern<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

According to CMS, in Stage 2, CQMs are no longer a core meaningful use objective<\/a>; nevertheless, EPs, EHs and CAHs must still present CQMs so as to fruitfully partake in the meaningful use incentive program.<\/p>\n

i) Meaningful Use CQM for 2013<\/i><\/span><\/h3>\n

– Eligible Professionals (EPs) will proceed with the same reporting pattern from the 44 measures concluded for Stage 1.<\/p>\n

– Eligible Hospitals (EHs) and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) will proceed with the same reporting pattern from the 15 measures finalized for Stage 1.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 2013, there are two reporting methods offered for reporting the Stage 1 measures:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \u00a0<\/b>Attestation: <\/b>Eligible Hospitals (EHs)<\/strong> and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs)<\/strong> partaking in the Meaningful Use Incentive Program<\/a> have their deadline till November 30, 2013<\/strong> to attest meaningful use of the data collected during the FY 2013 reporting period.<\/li>\n
  2. \u00a0<\/b>eReporting Pilots:<\/b> Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS)<\/strong><\/a> EHR Incentive Program Pilot is the conduit for EPs, whereas eReporting Pilot is the conduit for EHs and CAHs.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    ii) Meaningful Use CQM for 2014 and Beyond<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n

    From the beginning of 2014, all providers, regardless of whether they are in Stage 1 or Stage 2 of meaningful use<\/a>, must report on the 2014 CQMs concluded in the Stage 2 rule.<\/p>\n