The American Hospital Association has sent a list of demands the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services before the federal agency creates new rules surrounding electronic quality reporting measures.
CMS earlier this month extended the public comment period for eCQM from Feb. 1 to Feb. 16, 2016.
For starters, AHA, the largest hospital organization in the country, wants CMS to release the results of the previous eCQM demonstrations and pilots.
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The organization also wants the agency to expand eCQM education and outreach.
CMS and the Office of the National Coordinator first put out their request for public comment on Dec. 31, 2015, which called for feedback on several items related to the certification of health information technology.
The request also asks for feedback on electronic health record products used for reporting to CMS incentive programs such as the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program and the Physician Quality Reporting System.
AHA senior vice president of public policy Ashley Thompson wrote in comments to acting CMS administrator Andy Slavitt that the “AHA is encouraged that CMS is requesting feedback on several areas of concern to providers.”
AHA leaders want CMS to outline transition plans from chart-based reporting to electronic reporting across CMS programs and clearly explain how eCQM will work other organizations’ reporting requirements, such as The Joint Commission.
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Lastly, the AHA asked the agency to speed up efforts to identify and define data needed for reporting and to make sure that any modifications to definitions will align with existing requirements for eligible and critical access hospitals.
“The AHA recommends that CMS also consider the input received to date from EHs, CAHs and eligible providers about their eCQM experiences, including the evidence from CMS eCQM pilots and demonstrations, to inform future rulemaking,” AHA wrote.
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