CMS offers updated eCQMs

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has made available the annual update of the 2014 electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs) for eligible professionals and corresponding specifications for electronic reporting. 

The agency updates the specifications annually to ensure that the measure representation and recent code system versions reflect the best understanding of standards and logic, and remain relevant and actionable within the clinical care setting. In addition, some of the non-substantive changes to the measures were made based on input from the provider and vendor communities, according to a statement.

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) strongly encourages the implementation and use of the updated electronic specifications of the CQMs finalized in the Stage 2 rule for the 2015 EHR reporting period since updates include updated terminologies, critical logic corrections and intent clarification. The 2014 updated specifications cannot be used prior to the 2015 EHR reporting period.

To help eligible professionals navigate the updated eCQMs, resources including the Measure Logic Guidance Document, which contains the technical release notes, additional guidance and additional resources for implementers are available on the eCQM Library page. Stakeholders also can find additional eCQM file formats and access to past versions for side by side comparisons on the Meaningful Use tab of the United States Health Information Knowledgebase (USHIK).

CMS will maintain previously published specifications along with the new updated specifications for the 2014 eCQMs for eligible hospitals and eligible professionals. Vendors can find information on the changes made in the annual update, as well as guidance for reading and programming systems with the 2014 specifications on the CMS website's 2014 eCQM Library page.