What you need to know about understanding the MIPS Quality measures types
By Oncology Supply
There are four main measure types:
eCQMs (Electronic Clinical Quality Measures) – Data is captured directly through your certified EHR (cEHR). These are highly structured and tied to specific fields and codes. All patients should be included regardless of the payer. A scoring advantage is they often have better benchmarks than any other measure types though not always. Key takeaway: if you have the option eCQMs may provide stronger performance opportunities.
MIPS CQMs (formerly known as Registry Measures) - They're more flexible than eCQMs, with data being able to come from your EHR, paper charts or registries. They are less structured and keywords and free text can be used in collecting data. All patients regardless of the payer, are scored. Key takeaway: a great option if your practice doesn't have the EHR capabilities needed for eCQMs.
QCDR (Qualified Clinical Data Registry) - These measures are developed by CMS-approved registries (i.e., IRIS registry for ophthalmology, AQUA registry for urology). Your data requirements are customized to the specialty or clinical area served by the registry. All patients who meet the measure criteria, regardless of payer, will be included. These are highly tailored to their specialties and may not be available outside of the registry although some can be shared between QCDRs. Key takeaway: this is best for specialists who needed measures tailored to their field.
Medicare Part B Claims - These measures are reported directly on Medicare claims using codes and include only Medicare patients. Their use is limited to small practices and solo clinicians. There are some limitations - it's harder to track in real time and performance feedback isn't ready until CMS releases results the following year. Key takeaway: they are limited in availability and decline in number, but still an option for small practices.
Picking the optimal reporting structure can be overwhelming, but our MIPS team is ready to assist. The MIPS Consulting team, a team of experienced account managers and project coordinators, can partner with your practice to ensure you are maximizing your potential reimbursements from CMS, and offering insights into your workflow processes to help you move towards better performance. To consider working with them, email info@intrinsiq.com.
