NQF Endorsement

Controlling High Blood Pressure

The percentage of adults 18-85 years of age who had a diagnosis of hypertension (HTN) and whose blood pressure was adequately controlled (<140/90 mm Hg) during the measurement year.

Date Reviewed: July 1, 2021

Person-Centered Primary Care Measure PRO-PM (PCPCM PRO-PM)

The Person-Centered Primary Care Measure Patient Reported Outcome Performance Measure (PCPCM PRO-PM) uses the PCPCM PROM (a comprehensive and parsimonious set of 11 patient-reported items) to assess the broad scope of primary care. Unlike other primary care measures, the PCPCM PRO-PM measures the high value aspects of primary care based on a patient’s relationship with the provider or practice. Patients identify the PCPCM PROM as meaningful and able to communicate the quality of their care to their clinicians and/or care team. The items within the PCPCM PROM are based on extensive stakeholder engagement and comprehensive reviews of the literature.

Date Reviewed: April 1, 2021

CollaboRATE Shared Decision Making Score

CollaboRATE is a patient-reported measure of shared decision making which contains three brief questions that patients, their parents, or their representatives complete following a clinical encounter. The CollaboRATE measure provides a performance score representing the percentage of adults 18 and older who experience a high level of shared decision making.

Date Reviewed: April 1, 2021

Gains in Patient Activation (PAM) Scores at 12 Months

The Patient Activation Measure® (PAM®) is a 10 or 13 item questionnaire that assesses an individual´s knowledge, skill and confidence for managing their health and health care. The measure assesses individuals on a 0-100 scale. There are 4 levels of activation, from low (1) to high (4). The measure is not disease specific, but has been successfully used with a wide variety of chronic conditions, as well as with people with no conditions. The performance score would be the change in score from the baseline measurement to follow-up measurement, or the change in activation score over time for the eligible patients associated with the accountable unit. The outcome of interest is the patient’s ability to self-manage. High quality care should result in gains in ability to selfmanage for most chronic disease patients. The outcome measured is a change in activation over time. The change score would indicate a change in the patient´s knowledge, skills, and confidence for selfmanagement. A positive change would mean the patient is gaining in their ability to manage their health.

A “passing” score for eligible patients would be to show an average net 3-point PAM score increase in a 6-12 month period. An “excellent” score for eligible patients would be to show an average net 6-point PAM score increase in a 6-12 month period. An “excellent” score would be for eligible patients to show an average of a 6-point PAM score increase in a 6-12 month period.

Date Reviewed: April 1, 2021

Follow-Up After Hospitalization for Mental Illness (FUH)

The percentage of discharges for patients 6 years of age and older who were hospitalized for treatment of selected mental illness diagnoses and who had a follow-up visit with a mental health practitioner. Two rates are submitted:
• The percentage of discharges for which the patient received follow-up within 30 days after discharge.
• The percentage of discharges for which the patient received follow-up within 7 days after discharge.

Date Reviewed: April 1, 2021

Plan All-Cause Readmissions (PCR)

For patients 18 years of age and older, the number of acute inpatient stays during the measurement year that were followed by an unplanned acute readmission for any diagnosis within 30 days and the predicted probability of an acute readmission. Data are reported in the following categories:
1. Count of Index Hospital Stays* (denominator)
2. Count of 30-Day Readmissions (numerator)
3. Average Adjusted Probability of Readmission
*An acute inpatient stay with a discharge during the first 11 months of the measurement year (e.g., on or between January 1 and December 1).

Date Reviewed: April 1, 2021

Hospital-Wide, 30-Day, All-Cause Unplanned Readmission (HWR) Rate for the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System Groups

The 30-day Hospital-Wide, All-Cause Unplanned Readmission (HWR) Rate for the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Groups measure is a risk-standardized readmission rate for beneficiaries age 65 or older who were hospitalized and experienced an unplanned readmission for any cause to a short-stay acute-care hospital within 30 days of discharge. The measure attributes readmissions to up to three MIPS participating clinician groups, as identified by their Medicare Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) and assesses each group’s readmission rate. This clinician group-level, risk-standardized, all-cause unplanned readmission measure is a re-specified version of the hospital-level measure, “Hospital-wide Allcause Unplanned Readmission Measure” (NQF 1789), which is currently reported within the Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) program. This measure will replace the existing All-Cause Readmission (ACR) measure currently in use in QPP.

Date Reviewed: April 1, 2021

Management of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms

Percentage of patients, regardless of age, with a diagnosis of dementia who have one or more neuropsychiatric symptoms who received or were recommended to receive an intervention for neuropsychiatric symptoms within a 12 month period

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Dementia: Counseling Regarding Safety Concerns

Percentage of patients, regardless of age, with a diagnosis of dementia or their caregiver(s) who were counseled or referred for counseling regarding safety concerns within in a 12 month period

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Dementia: Caregiver Education Support

Percentage of patients, regardless of age, with a diagnosis of dementia whose caregiver(s) were provided with education on dementia disease management and health behavior changes AND referred to additional resources for support within a 12 month period

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Depression Remission at Six Months

Adult patients age 18 years and older with major depression or dysthymia and an initial PHQ-9 score > 9 who demonstrate remission at six months defined as a PHQ-9 score less than 5. This measure applies to both patients with newly diagnosed and existing depression whose current PHQ-9 score indicates a need for treatment. This measure additionally promotes ongoing contact between the patient and provider as patients who do not have a follow-up PHQ-9 score at six months (+/- 30 days) are also included in the denominator.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Adult Major Depressive Disorder: Coordination of Care of Patients with Specific Comorbid Conditions

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Percentage of medical records of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD) and a specific diagnosed comorbid condition (diabetes, coronary artery disease, ischemic stroke, intracranial hemorrhage, chronic kidney disease [stages 4 or 5], End Stage Renal Disease [ESRD] or congestive heart failure) being treated by another clinician with communication to the clinician treating the comorbid condition.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Anti-Depressant Medication Management

Percentage of patients 18 years of age and older who were treated with antidepressant medication, had a diagnosis of major depression, and who remained on an antidepressant medication treatment. Two rates are reported.
a. Percentage of patients who remained on an antidepressant medication for at least 84 days (12 weeks).
b. Percentage of patients who remained on an antidepressant medication for at least 180 days (6 months).

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Adult major Depressive Disorder (MDD): Suicide Risk Assessment

Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a new diagnosis or recurrent episode of major depressive disorder (MDD) with a suicide risk assessment completed during the visit in which a new diagnosis or recurrent episode was identified.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Dementia: Neuropsychiatric Symptom Assessment

Percentage of patients, regardless of age, with a diagnosis of dementia and for whom an assessment of neuropsychiatric symptoms is performed and results reviewed at least once in a 12 month period

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Dementia: Functional Status Assessment

Percentage of patients, regardless of age, with a diagnosis of dementia for whom an assessment of functional status is performed and the results reviewed at least once within a 12 month period

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Dementia: Cognitive Assessment

Percentage of patients, regardless of age, with a diagnosis of dementia for whom an assessment of cognition is performed and the results reviewed at least once within a 12 month period.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Chronic Liver Disease: Hepatitis A Vaccination

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

The percentage of adult patients with chronic liver disease who have received a hepatitis A vaccine.

Date Reviewed: November 7, 2015

COPD: Spirometry Evaluation

Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of COPD who had spirometry results documented

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

COPD: Inhaled Bronchodilator Therapy

Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of COPD (FEV1/FVC < 70%) and who have an FEV1 less than 60% predicted and have symptoms who were prescribed a long-acting inhaled bronchodilator.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Cardiac Rehabilitation: Patient Referral from an Outpatient Setting

Percentage of patients evaluated in an outpatient setting who within the previous 12 months have experienced an acute myocardial infarction (MI), coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), cardiac valve surgery, or cardiac transplantation, or who have chronic stable angina (CSA) and have not already participated in an early outpatient cardiac rehabilitation/secondary prevention (CR) program for the qualifying event/diagnosis who were referred to a CR program.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Risk-Adjusted Operative Mortality for CABG

Percent of patients aged 18 years and older undergoing isolated CABG who die, including both: 1) all deaths occurring during the hospitalization in which the CABG was performed, even if after 30 days, and 2) those deaths occurring after discharge from the hospital, but within 30 days of the procedure.

Date Reviewed: November 7, 2015

Hospital 30-Day, All-Cause, Risk-Standardized Mortality Rate Following Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

The measure estimates a hospital-level risk-standardized mortality rate for patients 18 years and older discharged from the hospital following a qualifying isolated CABG procedure. Mortality is defined as death from any cause within 30 days of the procedure date of an index CABG admission. The measure was developed using Medicare FFS patients 65 years and older and was tested in all-payer patients 18 years and older. An index admission is the hospitalization for a qualifying isolated CABG procedure considered for the readmission outcome.

Date Reviewed: November 7, 2015

Hospital 30-day, all cause, unplanned, risk-standardized readmission rate following CABG surgery

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

The measure estimates a hospital-level risk-standardized readmission rate, defined as unplanned readmission for any cause within 30 days from the date of discharge of the index CABG procedure, for patients 18 years and older discharged from the hospital after undergoing a qualifying isolated CABG procedure. The measure was developed using Medicare FFS patients 65 years and older and was tested in all-payer patients 18 years and older. An index admission is the hospitalization for a qualifying isolated CABG procedure considered for the readmission outcome.

Date Reviewed: November 7, 2015

Chronic Stable Coronary Artery Disease: Antiplatelet Therapy

Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD) seen within a 12 month period who were prescribed aspirin or clopidogrel.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Depression Remission at Twelve Months

Adult patients age 18 and older with major depression or dysthymia and an initial PHQ-9 score > 9 who demonstrate remission at twelve months defined as a PHQ-9 score less than 5. This measure applies to both patients with newly diagnosed and existing depression whose current PHQ-9 score indicates a need for treatment. This measure additionally promotes ongoing contact between the patient and provider as patients who do not have a follow-up PHQ-9 score at twelve months (+/- 30 days) are also included in the denominator

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Depression Utilization of the PHQ-9 Tool

Patients age 18 and older with the diagnosis of major depression or dysthymia who have a Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) tool administered at least once during a 4-month period in which there was a qualifying visit.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Adult Major Depressive Disorder (MDD): Comprehensive Depression Evaluation: Diagnosis and Severity

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis or recurrent episode of major depressive disorder (MDD) with evidence that they met the DSM-IV criteria for MDD AND for whom there is an assessment of depression severity during the visit in which a new diagnosis or recurrent episode was identified.

Date Reviewed: April 27, 2015

Epilepsy: Counseling for Women of Childbearing Potential with Epilepsy

All female patients of childbearing potential (12 - 44 years old) diagnosed with epilepsy who were counseled or referred for counseling for how epilepsy and its treatment may affect contraception OR pregnancy at least once a year.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Use of High-Risk Medications in the Elderly

Percentage of patients 66 years of age and older who were ordered high-risk medications. Two rates are reported:

a. Percentage of patients who were ordered at least one high-risk medication

b. Percentage of patients who were ordered at least two different high-risk medications.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Elder Maltreatment Screen and Follow-up Plan

Percentage of patients aged 65 years and older with a documented elder maltreatment screen using an Elder Maltreatment Screening tool on the date of encounter AND a documented follow-up plan on the date of the positive screen.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Quality of Life Assessment for Patients with Primary Headache Disorders

Percentage of patients with a diagnosis of primary headache disorder whose health related quality of life (HRQoL) was assessed with a tool(s) during at least two visits during the 12 month measurement period AND whose health related quality of life score stayed the same or improved.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Heart Failure: Beta-Blocker Therapy for Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction

Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of heart failure (HF) with a current or prior left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 40% who were prescribed beta-blocker therapy either within a 12 month period when seen in the outpatient setting OR at each hospital discharge.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Hospital 30-day, all-cause, risk-standardized mortality rate following heart failure hospitalization for patients 18 and older

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

The measure estimates a hospital 30-day risk-standardized mortality rate. Mortality is defined as death for any cause within 30 days after the date of admission of the index admission, for patients 18 and older discharged from the hospital with a principal diagnosis of HF. CMS annually reports the measure for patients who are 65 years or older and are either enrolled in fee-for-service Medicare and hospitalized in non-federal hospitals or are hospitalized in VA facilities.

Date Reviewed: November 7, 2015

Hospital 30-Day, all-cause, risk standardized readmission rate following heart failure hospitalization

The measure estimates a hospital-level risk-standardized readmission rate (RSRR) for patients discharged from the hospital with a principal diagnosis of heart failure (HF). The outcome is defined as unplanned readmission for any cause within 30 days of the discharge date for the index admission. A specified set of planned readmissions do not count as readmissions. The target population is patients 18 and over. CMS annually reports the measure for patients who are 65 years or older and are either enrolled in fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare and hospitalized in non-federal hospitals or are hospitalized in Veterans Health Administration (VA) facilities.

Date Reviewed: November 7, 2015

Heart Failure: Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction Assessment (Outpatient Setting)

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of heart failure for whom the quantitative or qualitative results of a recent or prior (any time in the past) LVEF assessment is documented within a 12 month period

Date Reviewed: November 26, 2014

Comprehensive Diabetes Care: Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) Control (

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

The percentage of members 18-75 years of age with diabetes (type 1 and type 2) whose most recent HbA1c level is <8.0% during the measurement year.

Date Reviewed: April 27, 2015

Depression Response at Twelve Months, Progress Towards Remission

Adult patients age 18 and older with major depression or dysthymia and an initial PHQ-9 score > 9 who demonstrate a response to treatment at twelve months defined as a PHQ-9 score that is reduced by 50% or greater from the initial PHQ-9 score. This measure applies to both patients with newly diagnosed and existing depression identified during the defined measurement period whose current PHQ-9 score indicates a need for treatment.

Date Reviewed: April 27, 2015

Diabetes: Eye Exam

The percentage of patients 18-75 years of age with diabetes (type 1 and type 2) who had an eye exam (retinal) performed.

Date Reviewed: November 4, 2018

Medical Attention for Nephropathy

The percentage of patients 18-75 years of age with diabetes (type 1 and type 2) who received a nephropathy screening or monitoring test or had evidence of nephropathy during the measurement year.

Date Reviewed: November 4, 2018

Comprehensive Diabetes Care: Hemoglobin A1c Control (

The percentage of patients 18-75 years of age with diabetes (type 1 and type 2) whose most recent HbA1c level is <8.0% during the measurement year.

Date Reviewed: July 21, 2018

Diabetes: Foot Exam

The percentage of patients 18-75 years of age with diabetes (type 1 and type 2) who received a foot exam (visual inspection and sensory exam with mono filament and a pulse exam) during the measurement year.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Diabetes Monitoring for People with Diabetes and Schizophrenia

The percentage of patients 18 – 64 years of age with schizophrenia and diabetes who had both an LDL-C test and an HbA1c test during the measurement year.

Date Reviewed: July 21, 2018

Comprehensive Diabetes Care: Hemoglobin A1c (HgbA1c)

Percentage of patients 18-75 years of age with diabetes who had hemoglobin A1c > 9.0% during the measurement period.  

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Hospital Wide All Cause Readmission Measure

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

The measure estimates a hospital-level risk-standardized readmission rate (RSRR) of unplanned, all-cause readmission after admission for any eligible condition within 30 days of hospital discharge. The measure reports a single summary risk-standardized readmission rate (RSRR), derived from the volume-weighted results of five different models, one for each of the following specialty cohorts based on groups of discharge condition categories or procedure categories: surgery/gynecology, general medicine, cardiorespiratory, cardiovascular, and neurology, each of which will be described in greater detail below. The measure also indicates the hospital-level standardized risk ratios (SRR) for each of these five specialty cohorts. The outcome is defined as unplanned readmission for any cause within 30 days of the discharge date for the index admission. Admissions for planned procedures that are not accompanied by an acute diagnosis do not count as readmissions in the measure outcome. The target population is patients 18 and over. CMS annually reports the measure for patients who are 65 years or older and are enrolled in fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare and hospitalized in non-federal hospitals.

Date Reviewed: November 7, 2015

Use of Appropriate Medications for People with Asthma

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

The percentage of patients 5-64 years of age during the measurement year who were identified as having persistent asthma and who were appropriately prescribed medication during the measurement year

Date Reviewed: July 26, 2015

ACEI or ARB Therapy for Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction-HF Patients

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Percent of HF patients with LVSD who are prescribed an ACEI or ARB at hospital discharge. For purposes of this measure, LVSD is defined as chart documentation of a LVEF less than 40% or a narrative description of left ventricular systolic function consistent with moderate or severe systolic dysfunction.

Date Reviewed: November 7, 2015

Beta-Blocker Therapy (i.e., Bisoprolol, Carvedilol, or Sustained-Release Metoprolol Succinate) for Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction (LVSD) Prescribed at Discharge

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Proportion of heart failure patients age18 and older with LVSD for whom beta-blocker therapy (i.e., bisoprolol, carvedilol, or sustained-release metoprolol succinate) is prescribed at discharge. For purposes of this measure, LVSD is defined as chart documentation of a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) less than 40% or a narrative description of left ventricular systolic (LVS) function consistent with moderate or severe systolic dysfunction.

Date Reviewed: November 7, 2015

Hepatitis C Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) Testing Before Initiating Treatment

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of chronic hepatitis C who are receiving antiviral treatment for whom quantitative HCV RNA testing was performed within 6 months prior to initiation of antiviral treatment (paired with NQF 0396)

Date Reviewed: July 26, 2014

Hepatitis C: HCV RNA Testing at No Greater Than Week 12 of Treatment

Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of chronic hepatitis C who are receiving antiviral treatment for whom quantitative HCV RNA testing was performed at no greater than 12 weeks from initiation of antiviral treatment

Date Reviewed: July 26, 2014

HCV Genotype Testing Prior to Treatment

Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of chronic hepatitis C who are receiving antiviral treatment for whom HCV genotype testing was performed prior to initiation of antiviral treatment (paired with NQF 0395)

Date Reviewed: July 26, 2014

Hepatitis C: Hepatitis A Vaccination

Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of hepatitis C who have received at least one injection of hepatitis A vaccine, or who have documented immunity to hepatitis A (paired with PQRS 184)

Date Reviewed: July 26, 2014

Hepatitis C: Hepatitis B Vaccination

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of hepatitis C who have received at least one injection of hepatitis B vaccine, or who have documented immunity to hepatitis B

Date Reviewed: July 26, 2014

Post-Discharge Appointment for Heart Failure Patients

Patients for whom a follow-up appointment for an office or home health visit for management of heart failure was scheduled within 7 days post-discharge and documented including location, date, and time.

Date Reviewed: July 21, 2018

Post-Discharge Appointment for Heart Failure Patients

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Percentage of patients, regardless of age, discharged from an inpatient facility to ambulatory care or home health care with a principal discharge diagnosis of heart failure for whom a follow up appointment was scheduled and documented prior to discharge (as specified).

Date Reviewed: July 21, 2018

Dementia: Screening for Depressive Symptoms

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Percentage of patients, regardless of age, with a diagnosis of dementia who were screened for depressive symptoms within a 12 month period

Date Reviewed: April 7, 2014

Staging of Dementia

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Percentage of patients, regardless of age, with a diagnosis of dementia whose severity of dementia was classified as mild, moderate or severe at least once within a 12 month period

Date Reviewed: April 7, 2014

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or Asthma in Older Adults Admission Rate (PQI 05)

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Admissions with a principal diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma per 100,000 population, ages 40 years and older. Excludes obstetric admissions and transfers from other institutions. (NOTE: The software provides the rate per population. However, common practice reports the measure as per 100,000 population. The user must multiply the rate obtained from the software by 100,000 to report admissions per 100,000 population)

Date Reviewed: July 26, 2015

Comprehensive Diabetes Care: Medical Attention for Nephropathy

The percentage of patients 18-75 years of age with diabetes (type 1 and type 2) who received a nephropathy screening or monitoring test or had evidence of nephropathy during the measurement year.

Date Reviewed: March 29, 2019

Dementia: Counseling Regarding Risks of Driving

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Percentage of patients, regardless of age, with a diagnosis of dementia or their caregiver(s) who were counseled regarding the risks of driving and the alternatives to driving at least once within a 12 month period

Date Reviewed: April 7, 2014

Documentation of Current Medications in the Medical Record

Percentage of visits for patients aged 18 years and older for which the eligible professional attests to documenting a list of current medications using all immediate resources available on the date of the encounter. This list must include ALL known prescriptions, over the counters, herbals, and vitamin/mineral/dietary (nutritional) supplements AND must contain the medications' name, dosage, frequency and route of administration.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Adult Kidney Disease: Blood Pressure Management

RETIRED REVIEW: This measure has been retired by the measure steward or is not relevant to internal medicine. This measure will not be re-reviewed by the PMC.

Percentage of patient visits for those patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of chronic kidney disease (CKD) (stage 3, 4, or 5, not receiving Renal Replacement Therapy [RRT]) with a blood pressure < 140/90 mmHg OR >= 140/90 mmHg with a documented plan of care.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Non-Diabetic Nephropathy - Use of ACE Inhibitor or ARB Therapy

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

The percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with proteinuria who are taking an ACE inhibitor or ARB

Date Reviewed: November 23, 2013

Adult Kidney Disease: Laboratory Testing (Lipid Profile)

RETIRED REVIEW: This measure has been retired by the measure steward or is not relevant to internal medicine. This measure will not be re-reviewed by the PMC.

Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of CKD (stage 3, 4 or 5, not receiving Renal Replacement Therapy (RRT)) who had a fasting lipid profile performed at least once within a 12-month period

Date Reviewed: November 23, 2013

Risk-Adjusted CABG Readmission Rate

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Risk adjusted percentage of Medicare FFS beneficiaries aged 65 and older who undergo isolated coronary artery bypass grafting and are discharged alive but have a subsequent acute care hospital inpatient admission within 30 days of the date of discharge from the CABG hospitalization.

Date Reviewed: November 7, 2015

Hepatitis C: Counseling Regarding Risk of Alcohol Consumption

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of hepatitis C who were counseled regarding the risks of alcohol consumption at least once within the 12 month reporting period

Date Reviewed: July 26, 2014

HIV/AIDS: Screening for High Risk Sexual Behaviors

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Percentage of patients, aged 13 years and older, who were screened for high risk sexual behaviors at least once within 12 months.

Date Reviewed: November 7, 2015

Cardiac Stress Imaging Not Meeting Appropriate Use Criteria: Preoperative Evaluation in Low-Risk Surgery Patients

Percentage of stress single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI), stress echocardiogram (ECHO), cardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA), or cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) performed in low risk surgery patients 18 years or older for preoperative evaluation during the 12-month reporting period.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Cervical Cancer Screening

Percentage of women 21-64 years of age who were screened for cervical cancer using either of the following criteria:

  • Women age 21-64 who had cervical cytology performed within the last 3 years
  • Women 30–64 years of age who had cervical high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) testing performed within the last 5 years
  • Women age 30-64 who had cervical cytology/high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) cotesting within the last 5 years

Date Reviewed: January 27, 2022

Cardiac Stress Imaging Not Meeting Appropriate Use Criteria: Testing in Asymptomatic, Low-Risk Surgery Patients

Percentage of all stress single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI), stress echocardiogram (ECHO), cardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA), and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) performed in asymptomatic, low coronary heart disease (CHD) risk patients 18 years and older for initial detection and risk assessment.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Medication Reconciliation Post-Discharge

The percentage of discharges from any inpatient facility (e.g. hospital, skilled nursing facility, or rehabilitation facility) for patients 18 years and older of age seen within 30 days following discharge in the office by the physician, prescribing practitioner, registered nurse, or clinical pharmacist providing on-going care for whom the discharge medication list was reconciled with the current medication list in the outpatient medical record. This measure is reported as three rates stratified by age group:
Reporting Criteria 1: 18-64 years of age
Reporting Criteria 2: 65 years of age
Total Rate: All patients 18 years of age and older

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Breast Cancer Screening

Percentage of women 50 - 74 years of age who had a mammogram to screen for breast cancer in the 27 months prior to the end of the measurement period.

Date Reviewed: January 27, 2022

Skilled Nursing Facility 30-Day All Cause Readmission

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

This measure estimates the risk-standardized rate of all-cause, unplanned, hospital readmissions for patients who have been admitted to a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) (Medicare fee-for-service [FFS] beneficiaries) within 30 days of discharge from their prior proximal hospitalization. The prior proximal hospitalization is defined as an admission to an IPPS, CAH, or a psychiatric hospital. The measure is based on data for 12 months of SNF admissions.

A risk-adjusted readmission rate for each facility is calculated as follows:

  • Step 1: Calculate the standardized risk ratio of the predicted number of readmissions at the facility divided by the expected number of readmissions for the same patients if treated at the average facility. The magnitude of the risk-standardized ratio is the indicator of a facility's effects on readmission rates.
  • Step 2: The standardized risk ratio is then multiplied by the mean rate of readmission in the population (i.e., all Medicare FFS patients included in the measure) to generate the facility-level standardized readmission rate.

For this measure, readmissions that are usually for planned procedures are excluded. Please refer to the Appendix, Tables 1 - 5 for a list of planned procedures.

The measure specifications are designed to harmonize with CMS' hospital-wide readmission (HWR) measure to the greatest extent possible. The HWR (NQF #1789) estimates the hospital-level, risk-standardize rate of unplanned, all-cause readmissions within 30 days of a hospital discharge and uses the same 30-day risk window as the SNFRM.

Date Reviewed: November 7, 2015

Referral to Otologic Evaluation for Patients with Acute or Chronic Dizziness

Percentage of patients aged birth and older referred to a physician (preferably a physician specially trained in disorders of the ear) for an otologic evaluation subsequent to an audiologic evaluation after presenting with acute or chronic dizziness.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Adult Kidney Disease: Patients on Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agent-Hemoglobin Level > 12.0 g/dL

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Percentage of calendar months within a 12-month period during which a Hemoglobin is measured for patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of advanced CKD (stage 4 or 5, not receiving RRT) or ESRD (who are on hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis) who are also receiving ESA therapy and have a Hemoglobin Level > 12.0 g/dL

Date Reviewed: November 23, 2013

Colorectal Cancer Screening

Percentage of patients 50-75 years of age who had appropriate screening for colorectal cancer.

Date Reviewed: January 27, 2022

Age Appropriate Screening Colonoscopy

The percentage of screening colonoscopies performed in patients greater than or equal to 86 years of age from January 1 to December 31.

Date Reviewed: January 27, 2022

HIV/AIDS: Medical Visit

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Percentage of patients, regardless of age, with a diagnosis of HIV/AIDS, with at least two medical visits during the measurement year, with a minimum of 90 and 180 days between each visit

Date Reviewed: July 26, 2014

HIV/AIDS: CD4 Cell Count or Percentage Performed

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Percentage of patients aged six months and older with a diagnosis of HIV/AIDS, with at least two CD4 cell counts or percentages performed during the measurement year at least 3 months apart

Date Reviewed: July 26, 2014

Pharmacologic Therapy for Persistent Asthma

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Percentage of patient aged 5 through 64 years with a diagnosis of persistent asthma who were prescribed long-term control medication Three rates are reported for this measure:

  1. Patients prescribed inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) as their long term control medication
  2. Patients prescribed other alternative long term control medications (non-ICS)
  3. Total patients prescribed long-term control medication

Date Reviewed: July 26, 2015

Heart Failure Admission Rate (PQI 8)

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Admissions with a principal diagnosis of heart failure per 100,000 populations, ages 18 years and older. Excludes cardiac procedure admissions, obstetric admissions, and transfers from other institutions. NOTE: The software provides the rate per population. However, common practice reports the measure as per 100,000 population. The user must multiply the rate obtained from the software by 100,000 to report admissions per 100,000.

Date Reviewed: November 7, 2015

Asthma Medication Ratio

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

The percentage of patients who have a medication ratio of controller medications to total asthma medications of 0.50 or greater during the measurement year.

Date Reviewed: July 26, 2015

Optimal Asthma Control

Composite measure of the percentage of pediatric and adult patients whose asthma is well-controlled as demonstrated by one of three age appropriate patient reported outcome tools and not at risk for exacerbation.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Medication Management for People with Asthma

The percentage of patients 5-64 years of age during the measurement year who were identified as having persistent asthma and were dispensed appropriate medications that they remained on for at least 75% of their treatment period.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Appropriate Follow-Up Interval for Normal Colonoscopy in Average Risk Patients

Percentage of patients aged 50 to 75 years of age receiving a screening colonoscopy without biopsy or polypectomy who had a recommended follow-up interval of at least 10 years for repeat colonoscopy documented in their colonoscopy report.

Date Reviewed: January 27, 2022

Adults with Diabetes Mellitus That Had a Serum Creatinine in the Last 12 Reported Months

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

This measure identifies adults with diabetes mellitus that had a serum creatinine test in last 12 reported months

Date Reviewed: November 23, 2013

Disease-Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drug (DMARD) Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis

The percentage of patients 18 years and older by the end of the measurement period, diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and who had at least one ambulatory prescription for a disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug.

Date Reviewed: April 27, 2015

Stroke and Stroke Rehabilitation: Screening for Dysphagia

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of ischemic stroke or intracranial hemorrhage who receive any food, fluids or medication by mouth (PO) for whom a dysphagia screening was performed prior to PO intake in accordance with a dysphagia screening tool approved by the institution in which the patient is receiving care

Date Reviewed: April 7, 2014

Stroke and Stroke Rehabilitation: Thrombolytic Therapy

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

This measure captures the proportion of acute ischemic stroke patients who arrive at this hospital within 2 hours of time last known well for whom IV t-PA was initiated at this hospital within 3 hours of time last known well

Date Reviewed: April 7, 2014

Total Cost of Care Population-Based PMPM Index (Cost/Resource use Measure)

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Total Cost of Care reflects a mix of complicated factors such as patient illness burden, service utilization and negotiated prices.

Total Cost Index (TCI) is a measure of a primary care provider's risk adjusted cost effectiveness at managing the population they care for. TCI includes all costs associated with treating members including professional, facility inpatient and outpatient, pharmacy, lab, radiology, ancillary and behavioral health services.

A Total Cost of Care Index when viewed together with a Resource Use measure provides a more complete picture of population based drivers of health care costs.

Date Reviewed: November 7, 2015

Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock: Management Bundle

This measure focuses on adults 18 years and older with a diagnosis of severe sepsis or septic shock. Consistent with Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines, the measure contains several elements, including measurement of lactate, obtaining blood cultures, administering broad spectrum antibiotics, fluid resuscitation, vasopressor administration, reassessment of volume status and tissue perfusion, and repeat lactate measurement. As reflected in the data elements and their definitions, these elements should be performed in the early management of severe sepsis and septic shock.

Date Reviewed: July 21, 2018

Dehydration Admission Rate (PQI 10)

Admissions with a principal diagnosis of dehydration per 100,000 population, ages 18 years and older. Excludes obstetric admissions and transfers from other institutions.
[NOTE: The software provides the rate per population. However, common practice reports the measure as per 100,000 population. The user must multiply the rate obtained from the software by 100,000 to report admissions per 100,000 population.]

Date Reviewed: July 21, 2018

Falls: Screening, Risk-Assessment, and Plan of care to Prevent Future Falls

This is a clinical process measure that assesses falls prevention in older adults. The measure has three rates:
A) Screening for Future Fall Risk: Percentage of patients aged 65 years and older who were screened for future fall risk at least once within 12 months
B) Falls Risk Assessment: Percentage of patients aged 65 years and older with a history of falls who had a risk assessment for falls completed within 12 months
C) Plan of Care for Falls: Percentage of patients aged 65 years and older with a history of falls who had a plan of care for falls documented within 12 months

Date Reviewed: July 21, 2018

BMI Screening and Follow-up for People with Serious Mental Illness

The percentage of patients 18 years and older with a serious mental illness who received a screening for body mass index and follow-up for those people who were identified as obese (a body mass index greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2).
Note: The proposed health plan measure is adapted from an existing provider-level measure for the general population (Preventive Care & Screening: Body Mass Index: Screening and Follow-Up NQF #0421). It is currently stewarded by CMS and used in the Physician Quality Reporting System.

Date Reviewed: July 21, 2018

Preventive Care and Screening: Body Mass Index (BMI) Screening and Follow-up

Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a BMI documented during the current encounter or during the previous six months AND with a BMI outside of normal parameters, a follow-up plan is documented during the encounter or during the previous six months of the current encounter Normal Parameters: Age 18 years and older BMI => 18.5 and < 25 kg/m2

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Tuberculosis Screening

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Percentage of patients 18 years and older with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis who have documentation of a tuberculosis (TB) screening performed within 12 months prior to receiving a first course of therapy using a biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD).

Date Reviewed: April 27, 2015

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Assessment of Disease Activity

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Percentage of patients 18 years and older with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and >=50% of total number of outpatient RA encounters in the measurement year with assessment of disease activity using a standardized measure.

Date Reviewed: April 27, 2015

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Functional Status Assessment

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Percentage of patients 18 years and older with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis for whom a functional status assessment was performed at least once during the measurement period.

Date Reviewed: April 27, 2015

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): Disease-Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drug (DMARD) Therapy

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Percentage of patients 18 years and older with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis who are newly prescribed disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug therapy within 12 months.

Date Reviewed: April 27, 2015

Assessment and Classification of Disease Prognosis

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Percentage of patients 18 years and older with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have an assessment and classification of disease prognosis at least once within 12 months.

Date Reviewed: April 27, 2015

Adherence to Antipsychotic Medications for Individuals with Schizophrenia

Percentage of individuals at least 18 years of age as of the beginning of the measurement period with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who had at least two prescription drug claims for antipsychotic medications and had a Proportion of Days Covered (PDC) of at least 0.8 for antipsychotic medications during the measurement period (12 consecutive months).

Date Reviewed: November 4, 2018

Adult Sinusitis: CT for Acute Sinusitis (Overuse)

Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older, with a diagnosis of acute sinusitis who had a computerized tomography (CT) scan of the paranasal sinuses ordered at the time of diagnosis or received within 28 days after date of diagnosis.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

More Than One CT Scan Within 90 Days for Chronic Sinusitis

Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of chronic sinusitis who had more than one CT scan of the paranasal sinuses ordered or received within 90 days after the date of diagnosis.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Proportion of Patients with a Chronic Condition that have a Potentially Avoidable Complication during a Calendar Year

Percent of adult population aged 18+ years who were identified as having at least one of the following six chronic conditions: Asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), Heart Failure (HF), Hypertension (HTN), or Diabetes Mellitus (DM), were followed for at least one-year, and had one or more potentially avoidable complications (PACs) during the most recent 12 months. Please reference attached document labeled NQF_Chronic_Care_PACs_01_24_17.xls, in the tabs labeled PACs I-9 & I-10 for a list of code definitions of PACs relevant to each of the above chronic conditions.

We define PACs as one of two types:
(1) Type 1 PACs - PACs related to the index condition: Patients are considered to have a PAC, if they receive services during the episode time window for any of the complications directly related to the chronic condition, such as for acute exacerbation of the index condition, respiratory insufficiency in patients with Asthma or COPD, hypotension or fluid and electrolyte disturbances in patients with CAD, HF or diabetes etc.
(2) Type 2 PACs - PACs related to Patient Safety or broader System Failures: Patients are also considered to have a PAC, if they receive services during the episode time window for any of the complications related to patient safety or health system failures such as for sepsis, infections, phlebitis, deep vein thrombosis, pressure sores etc.

Date Reviewed: July 21, 2018

Chlamydia Screening in Women

The percentage of women 16-24 years of age who were identified as sexually active and who had at least one test for chlamydia during the measurement year.

Date Reviewed: November 7, 2015

Flu Vaccinations for Adults Ages 18 and Older

The percentage of adults 18 years of age and older who self-report receiving an influenza vaccine within the measurement period. This measure is collected via the CAHPS 5.0H adults survey for Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial populations. It is reported as two separate rates stratified by age: 18-64 and 65 years of age and older.

Date Reviewed: July 21, 2018

Zoster (Shingles) Vaccination

The percentage of patients 50 years of age and older who have a Varicella Zoster (shingles) vaccination.

Date Reviewed: November 4, 2018

Influenza Immunization

Inpatients age 6 months and older discharged during October, November, December, January, February or March who are screened for influenza vaccine status and vaccinated prior to discharge if indicated.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Pneumococcal Vaccination Status for Older Adults

Percentage of patients 65 years of age and older who have ever received a pneumococcal vaccine.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis

This measure assesses the number of patients who received venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis or have documentation why no VTE prophylaxis was given the day of or the day after hospital admission or surgery end date for surgeries that start the day of or the day after hospital admission. This measure is part of a set of six nationally implemented prevention and treatment measures that address VTE (VTE-2: ICU VTE Prophylaxis, VTE-3: VTE Patients with Anticoagulation Overlap Therapy, VTE-4: VTE Patients Receiving UFH with Dosages/Platelet Count Monitoring, VTE-5: VTE Warfarin Therapy Discharge Instructions and VTE-6: Hospital Acquired Potentially-Preventable VTE) that are used in The Joint Commission’s accreditation process.

Date Reviewed: July 21, 2018

Stroke and Stroke Rehabilitation: Rehabilitation Services Ordered

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of ischemic stroke or intracranial hemorrhage for whom occupational, physical, or speech rehabilitation services were ordered at or prior to inpatient discharge OR documentation that no rehabilitation services are indicated at or prior to inpatient discharge

Date Reviewed: April 7, 2014

Advance Care Plan

Percentage of patients aged 65 years and older who have an advance care plan or surrogate decision maker documented in the medical record or documentation in the medical record that an advance care plan was discussed but the patient did not wish or was not able to name a surrogate decision maker or provide an advance care plan.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Hospital Risk-Standardized Complication Rate Following Implantation of ICD

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

This measure provides hospital specific risk-standardized rates of procedural complications following the implantation of an ICD in patients at least 65 year of age. At present, the measure uses clinical data available in the National Cardiovascular Data Registry ICD registry for risk adjustment that has been linked with administrative claims data using direct and indirect patient identifiers to identify procedural complications

Date Reviewed: November 7, 2015

Influenza Immunization

Inpatients age 6 months and older discharged during October, November, December, January, February or March who are screened for influenza vaccine status and vaccinated prior to discharge if indicated.

Date Reviewed: July 21, 2018

Tobacco Use: Screening & Cessation Intervention

Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older who were screened for tobacco use one or more times within 24 months AND who received cessation counseling intervention if identified as a tobacco user. 

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Chlamydia Screening and Follow-up

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

The percentage of female adolescents 18 years of age who had a chlamydia screening test with proper follow-up

Date Reviewed: November 7, 2015

TOB-2 Tobacco use Treatment provided or Offered and the subset measure TOB-2a: Tobacco Use Treatment

The measure is reported as an overall rate which includes all hospitalized patients 18 years of age and older to whom tobacco use treatment was provided during the hospital stay, or offered and refused, and a second rate, a subset of the first, which includes only those patients who received tobacco use treatment during the hospital stay.

Date Reviewed: July 21, 2018

Sub-1 Alcohol Use Screening

Hospitalized patients 18 years of age and older who are screened within the first day of admission using a validated screening questionnaire for unhealthy alcohol use.

Date Reviewed: July 21, 2018

SUB-2 Alcohol Use Brief Intervention Provided or Offered and SUB 2a Alcohol Use Brief Intervention

The measure is reported as an overall rate which includes all hospitalized patients 18 years of age and older to whom a brief intervention was provided, or offered and refused, and a second rate, a subset of the first, which includes only those patients who received a brief intervention. The Provided or Offered rate (SUB-2), describes patients who screened positive for unhealthy alcohol use who received or refused a brief intervention during the hospital stay. The Alcohol Use Brief Intervention (SUB-2a) rate describes only those who received the brief intervention during the hospital stay. Those who refused are not included.

Date Reviewed: July 21, 2018

SUB-3a Alcohol & Other Drug Use Disorder Treatment Provided or Offered at Discharge and SUB-3a Alcohol & Other Drug Use Disorder

The measure is reported as an overall rate which includes all hospitalized patients 18 years of age and older to whom alcohol or drug use disorder treatment was provided, or offered and refused, at the time of hospital discharge, and a second rate, a subset of the first, which includes only those patients who received alcohol or drug use disorder treatment at discharge. The Provided or Offered rate (SUB-3) describes patients who are identified with alcohol or drug use disorder who receive or refuse at discharge a prescription for FDA-approved medications for alcohol or drug use disorder, OR who receive or refuse a referral for addictions treatment. The Alcohol and Other Drug Disorder Treatment at Discharge (SUB-3a) rate describes only those who receive a prescription for FDA-approved medications for alcohol or drug use disorder OR a referral for addictions treatment. Those who refused are not included.

These measures are intended to be used as part of a set of 4 linked measures addressing Substance Use (SUB-1 Alcohol Use Screening ; SUB-2 Alcohol Use Brief Intervention Provided or Offered; SUB-3 Alcohol and Other Drug Use Disorder Treatment Provided or Offered at Discharge; SUB-4 Alcohol and Drug Use: Assessing Status after Discharge [temporarily suspended]).

Date Reviewed: July 21, 2018

Initiation and Engagement of Alcohol and Other Drug Dependence Treatment

The percentage of adolescent and adult patients with a new episode of alcohol or other drug (AOD) dependence who received the following.
- Initiation of AOD Treatment. The percentage of patients who initiate treatment through an inpatient AOD admission, outpatient visit, intensive outpatient encounter or partial hospitalization within 14 days of the diagnosis.
- Engagement of AOD Treatment. The percentage of patients who initiated treatment and who had two or more additional services with a diagnosis of AOD within 30 days of the initiation visit.

Date Reviewed: July 21, 2018

Medical Assistance with Smoking and Tobacco Cessation

he three components of this measure assess different facets of providing medical assistance with smoking and tobacco use cessation:
Advising Smokers and Tobacco Users to Quit: A rolling average represents the percentage of patients 18 years of age and older who are current smokers or tobacco users and who received advice to quit during the measurement year.
Discussing Cessation Medications: A rolling average represents the percentage of patients 18 years of age and older who are current smokers or tobacco users and who discussed or were recommended cessation medications during the measurement year.
Discussing Cessation Strategies: A rolling average represents the percentage of patients 18 years of age and older who are current smokers or tobacco users and who discussed or were provided cessation methods or strategies during the measurement year.

Date Reviewed: July 21, 2018

Alcohol Screening and Follow-up for People with Serious Mental Illness

The percentage of patients 18 years and older with a serious mental illness, who were screened for unhealthy alcohol use and received brief counseling or other follow-up care if identified as an unhealthy alcohol user.
Note: The proposed health plan measure is adapted from an existing provider-level measure for the general population (NQF #2152: Preventive Care & Screening: Unhealthy Alcohol Use: Screening & Brief Counseling). It was originally endorsed in 2014 and is currently stewarded by the American Medical Association (AMA-PCPI).

Date Reviewed: July 21, 2018

Tobacco Use Screening and Follow-up for People with Serious Mental Illness or Alcohol or Other Drug Dependence

The percentage of patients 18 years and older with a serious mental illness or alcohol or other drug dependence who received a screening for tobacco use and follow-up for those identified as a current tobacco user. Two rates are reported.
Rate 1: The percentage of patients 18 years and older with a diagnosis of serious mental illness who received a screening for tobacco use and follow-up for those identified as a current tobacco user.
Rate 2: The percentage of adults 18 years and older with a diagnosis of alcohol or other drug dependence who received a screening for tobacco use and follow-up for those identified as a current tobacco user.
Note: The proposed health plan measure is adapted from an existing provider-level measure for the general population (Preventive Care & Screening: Tobacco Use: Screening & Cessation Intervention NQF #0028). This measure is currently stewarded by the AMA-PCPI and used in the Physician Quality Reporting System.

Date Reviewed: July 21, 2018

Tobacco Use and Help with Quitting Among Adolescents

The percentage of adolescents 12 to 20 years of age with a primary care visit during the measurement year for whom tobacco use status was documented and received help with quitting if identified as a tobacco user.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Unhealthy Alcohol Use: Screening & Brief Counseling

Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older who were screened for unhealthy alcohol use using a systematic screening method at least once within the last 24 months AND who received brief counseling if identified as an unhealthy alcohol user.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

AFib and Aflutter: Chronic Anticoagulation Therapy

Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of nonvalvular atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter whose assessment of the specified thromboembolic risk factors indicate one or more high-risk factors or more than one moderate risk factor, as determined by CHADS2 risk stratification, who are prescribed warfarin OR another oral anticoagulant drug that is FDA approved for the prevention of thromboembolism .

Date Reviewed: March 19, 2017

Glucocorticoid Management

Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have been assessed for glucocorticoid use and, for those on prolonged doses of prednisone >= 10 mg daily (or equivalent) with improvement or no change in disease activity, documentation of glucocorticoid management plan within 12 months.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

One-Time Screening for Hepatitis C Virus for Patients at Risk

Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with one or more of the following: a history of injection drug use, receipt of a blood transfusion prior to 1992, receiving maintenance hemodialysis, OR birthdate in the years 1945-1965 who received one-time screening for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

National Healthcare Safety Network Antimicrobial Use Measure

This measure assesses antimicrobial use in hospitals based on medication administration data that hospitals collect electronically at the point of care and report via electronic file submissions to CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). The antimicrobial use data that are in scope for this measure are antibacterial agents administered to adult and pediatric patients in a specified set of ward and intensive care unit locations: medical, medical/surgical, and surgical wards and units. The measure compares antimicrobial use that the hospitals report with antimicrobial use that is predicted on the basis of nationally aggregated data. The measure is comprised of a discrete set of ratios, Standardized Antimicrobial Administration Ratios (SAARs), each of which summarizes observed-to-predicted antibacterial use for one of 16 antibacterial agent-patient care location combinations. The SAARs are designed to serve as high value targets or high level indicators for antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs). SAAR values that are outliers are intended to prompt analysis of possible overuse, underuse, or inappropriate use of antimicrobials, subsequent actions aimed at improving the quality of antimicrobial prescribing, and impact evaluations of ASP interventions.

Date Reviewed: July 21, 2018

National Healthcare Safety Network Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI)

Standardized Infection Ratio (SIR) of healthcare-associated, catheter-associated urinary tract infections (UTI) will be calculated among patients in bedded inpatient care locations, except level II or level III neonatal intensive care units (NICU). This includes acute care general hospitals, long-term acute care hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals, oncology hospitals, and behavior health hospitals.

Date Reviewed: July 21, 2018

National Healthcare Safety Network Central Line-Associated Blood Stream Infection (CLABSI) Outcome Measure

Standardized Infection Ratio (SIR) and Adjusted Ranking Metric (ARM) of healthcare-associated, central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) will be calculated among patients in bedded inpatient care locations. This includes acute care general hospitals, long-term acute care hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals, oncology hospitals, and behavioral health hospitals.

Date Reviewed: July 21, 2018

Statin Therapy for the Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease

Percentage of the following patients-all considered at high risk of cardiovascular events-who were prescribed or were on statin therapy during the measurement period:

Adults aged >= 21 years who were previously diagnosed with or currently have an active diagnosis of clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD); OR

Adults aged >=21 years who have ever had a fasting or direct low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level >= 190 mg/dL or were previously diagnosed with or currently have an active diagnosis of familial or pure hypercholesterolemia; OR

Adults aged 40-75 years with a diagnosis of diabetes with a fasting or direct LDL-C level of 70-189 mg/dL.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Controlling High Blood Pressure for People with Serious Mental Illness

RETIRED REVIEW: This measure has been retired by the measure steward or is not relevant to internal medicine. This measure will not be re-reviewed by the PMC.

The percentage of patients 18-85 years of age with serious mental illness who had a diagnosis of hypertension (HTN) and whose blood pressure (BP) was adequately controlled during the measurement year.
Note: This measure is adapted from an existing health plan measure used in a variety of reporting programs for the general population (NQF #0018: Controlling High Blood Pressure). It was originally endorsed in 2009 and is owned and stewarded by NCQA. The specifications for the existing measure (Controlling High Blood Pressure NQF #0018) have been updated based on 2013 JNC-8 guideline. NCQA will submit the revised specification for Controlling High Blood Pressure NQF #0018 in the 4th quarter 2014 during NQF’s scheduled measure update period. This measure uses the new specification to be consistent with the current guideline.

Date Reviewed: July 21, 2018

Hypertension Improvement in Blood Pressure

RETIRED REVIEW: This measure has been retired by the measure steward or is not relevant to internal medicine. This measure will not be re-reviewed by the PMC.

Percentage of patients aged 18-85 years of age with a diagnosis of hypertension whose blood pressure improved during the measurement period.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

IBD: Preventive Care: Corticosteroid Related Iatrogenic Injury-Bone Loss Assessment

Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with an inflammatory bowel disease encounter who were prescribed prednisone equivalents greater than or equal to 10 mg/day for 60 or greater consecutive days or a single prescription equating to 600mg prednisone or greater for all fills and were documented for risk of bone loss once during the reporting year or the previous calendar year.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

HIV/AIDS: HIV RNA Control After Six Months of Potent Antiretroviral Therapy

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Percentage of patients aged 13 years and older with a diagnosis of HIV/AIDS, who had at least two medical visits during the measurement year, with at least 90 days between each visit, who are receiving potent antiretroviral therapy, who have a viral load < 200 copies/mL after at least 6 months of potent antiretroviral therapy

Date Reviewed: July 26, 2014

Discussion and Shared Decision Making Surrounding Treatment Options

Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of hepatitis C with whom a physician or other qualified healthcare professional reviewed the range of treatment options appropriate to their genotype and demonstrated a shared decision making approach with the patient. To meet the measure, there must be documentation in the patient record of a discussion between the physician or other qualified healthcare professional and the patient that includes all of the following: treatment choices appropriate to genotype, risks and benefits, evidence of effectiveness, and patient preferences toward treatment.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Screening for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Cirrhosis

Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of chronic hepatitis C cirrhosis who underwent imaging with either ultrasound, contrast enhanced CT or MRI for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at least once within the 12 month reporting period.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

HIV: Viral Load Suppression

Percentage of patients, regardless of age, with a diagnosis of HIV with a HIV viral load less than 200 copies/mL at last HIV viral load test during the measurement year.  A medical visit is any visit in an outpatient/ambulatory care setting with a nurse practitioner, physician, and/or a physician assistant who provides comprehensive HIV care.  

Date Reviewed: November 4, 2018

HIV Infection Screening

Percentage of patients 15-65 years of age who were tested at least once for HIV.

Date Reviewed: November 4, 2018

Annual cervical cancer screening or follow-up in high-risk women

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

This measure identifies women age 12 to 65 diagnosed with cervical dysplasia (CIN 2), cervical carcinoma-in-situ, or HIV/AIDS prior to the measurement year, and who still have a cervix, who had a cervical CA screen during the measurement year.

Date Reviewed: November 7, 2015

HIV medical visit frequency

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Percentage of patients, regardless of age, with a diagnosis of HIV who had at least one medical visit in each 6-month period of the 24-month measurement period with a minimum of 60 days between medical visits. A medical visit is any visit in an outpatient/ambulatory care setting with a nurse practitioner, physician, and/or a physician assistant who provides comprehensive HIV care.

Date Reviewed: November 7, 2015

Gap in HIV Medical Visits

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Percentage of patients, regardless of age, with a diagnosis of HIV who did not have a medical visit in the last 6 months of the measurement year. A medical visit is any visit in an outpatient/ambulatory care setting with a nurse practitioner, physician, and/or a physician assistant who provides comprehensive HIV care.

Date Reviewed: November 7, 2015

Prescription of HIV Antiretroviral Therapy

Percentage of patients, regardless of age, with a diagnosis of HIV prescribed antiretroviral therapy for the treatment of HIV infection during the measurement year. A medical visit is any visit in an outpatient/ambulatory care setting with a nurse practitioner, physician, and/or a physician assistant who provides comprehensive HIV care.

Date Reviewed: November 7, 2015

HIV/AIDS: Adolescent and Adult Patients who are Prescribed Potent Antiretroviral Therapy

Percentage of patients with a diagnosis of HIV/AIDS, with at least two visits during the measurement year, with at least 90 days between each visit: aged 13 years and older who have a history of a CD4 count less than or equal to 500 cells/mm3; aged 13 years and older who have a history of an AIDS-defining illness, regardless of CD4 count; or who are pregnant, regardless of CD4 count or age, who were prescribed potent antiretroviral therapy

Date Reviewed: July 26, 2014

Communication with the Physician or Other Clinician Managing On-Going Care Post-Fracture for Men and Women Aged 50 Years and Older

"Percentage of patients aged 50 years and older treated for a fracture with documentation of communication, between the physician treating the fracture and the physician or other clinician managing the patient’s on-going care, that a fracture occurred and that the patient was or should be considered for osteoporosis treatment or testing. Note: This measure is submitted by the physician who treats the fracture and who therefore is held accountable for the communication."

Date Reviewed: May 4, 2022

Osteoporosis Management in Women who had a Fracture

The percentage of women 50–85 years of age who suffered a fracture and who had either a bone mineral density (BMD) test or prescription for a drug to treat osteoporosis in the six months after the fracture.

Date Reviewed: May 4, 2022

Documentation of Signed Opioid Treatment Agreement

All patients 18 and older prescribed opiates for longer than six weeks duration who signed an opioid treatment agreement at least once during Opioid Therapy documented in the medical record.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Evaluation or Interview for Risk of Opioid Misuse

All patients 18 and older prescribed opiates for longer than six weeks duration evaluated for risk of opioid misuse using a brief validated instrument (e.g. Opioid Risk Tool, SOAPP-R) or patient interview documented at least once during Opioid Therapy in the medical record.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Pain Brought Under Control Within 48 Hours

Patients aged 18 and older who report being uncomfortable because of pain at the initial assessment (after admission to palliative care services) that report pain was brought to a comfortable level within 48 hours.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Opioid Therapy: Follow-up Evaluation

All patients 18 and older prescribed opiates for longer than six weeks duration who had a follow-up evaluation conducted at least every three months during Opioid Therapy documented in the medical record.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Pain Assessment and Follow-up

Percentage of visits for patients aged 18 years and older with documentation of a pain assessment using a standardized tool(s) on each visit AND documentation of a follow-up plan when pain is present.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

CAHPS for MIPS Clinician/Group Survey

Getting timely care, appointments, and information; How well providers communicate; Patient’s rating of provider; Access to specialists; Health promotion & education; Shared decision making; Health status/functional status; Courteous and helpful office staff; Care coordination; Between visit communication; Helping to take medications as directed; and Stewardship of patient resources.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Osteoarthritis: Function and Pain Assessment

Percentage of patient visits for patients aged 21 years and older with a diagnosis of osteoarthritis (OA) with assessment for function and pain.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Sleep Apnea: Positive Airway Pressure Therapy Prescribed

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Patients who were prescribed positive airway pressure therapy as a proportion of all patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of moderate or severe obstructive sleep apnea

Date Reviewed: April 8, 2013

Ischemic Vascular Disease: Use of Aspirin or Another Platelet

The percentage of patients 18-75 years of age who had a diagnosis of ischemic vascular disease (IVD) and were on daily aspirin or anti-platelet medication, unless allowed contraindications or exceptions are present.

Date Reviewed: November 4, 2018

Ischemic Vascular Disease: All or None Outcome Measure

The IVD All-or-None Measure is one outcome measure (optimal control). The measure contains four goals. All four goals within a measure must be reached in order to meet that measure. The numerator for the all-or-none measure should be collected from the organization's total IVD denominator. All-or-None Outcome Measure (Optimal Control) - Using the IVD denominator optimal results include: Most recent blood pressure (BP) measurement is less than 140/90 mm Hg -- And Most recent tobacco status is Tobacco Free -- And Daily Aspirin or Other Antiplatelet Unless Contraindicated -- And Statin Use

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Use of Imaging Studies for Low Back Pain

Percentage of patients 18-50 years of age with a diagnosis of low back pain who did not have an imaging study (plain X-ray, MRI, CT scan) within 28 days of the diagnosis.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Persistence of Beta-Blocker Treatment After a Heart Attack

The percentage of patients 18 years of age and older during the measurement year who were hospitalized and discharged from July 1 of the year prior to the measurement year to June 30 of the measurement year with a diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and who were prescribed persistent beta-blocker treatment for six months after discharge.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention within 90 minutes of hospital arrival

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

Percentage of acute MI patients with ST-segment elevation or LBBB on the ECG closest to arrival time receiving primary percutaneous coronary artery intervention during the hospital stay with a time from hospital arrival to PCI of 90 minutes or less

Date Reviewed: November 7, 2015

Hospital 30-day, all cause, risk-standardized mortality rate following acute MI hospitalization for patients 18 and older

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

The measure estimates a hospital 30-day risk-standardized mortality rate. Mortality is defined as death for any cause within 30 days after the date of admission of the index admission, for patients 18 and older discharged from the hospital with a principal diagnosis of acute MI. CMS annually reports the measure for patients who are 65 years or older and are either enrolled in fee-for-service Medicare and hospitalized in non-federal hospitals or are hospitalized in VA facilities

Date Reviewed: November 7, 2015

Hospital 30-day, all-cause, risk standardized readmission rate following acute MI hospitalization

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

The measure estimates a hospital-level 30-day risk-standardized readmission rate for patients discharged from the hospital with a principal diagnosis of acute MI. The outcome is defined as unplanned readmission for any cause within 30 days of the discharge date for the index admission. A specified set of planned readmissions do not count as readmissions. The target population is patients aged 18 years and older. CMS annually reports the measure for individuals who are 65 years and older and are either Medicare FFS beneficiaries hospitalized in non-federal hospitals or patients hospitalized in Department of VA facilities

Date Reviewed: November 7, 2015

30-day, all-cause, risk-standardized mortality rate following Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for patients with ST segment elevation MI or cardiogenic shock

INACTIVE REVIEW: This measure review is older than five years.

This measure estimates hospital risk-standardized 30-day all-cause mortality rate following percutaneous coronary intervention among patients who are 18 years of age or older with STEMI or cardiogenic shock at the time of procedure. The measure uses clinical data available in the National Cardiovascular Data Registry CathPCI registry for risk adjustment. For the purpose of development, the measure cohort was derived in a Medicare FFS population of patients 65 years of age or older with a PCI. For the purpose of development and testing, the measure used a Medicare FFS population of patients 65 years of age or older with a PCI. However, the measure is designed to be used in the broader population of PCI patients

Date Reviewed: November 7, 2015

Sleep Apnea: Assessment of Adherence to Positive Airway Pressure Therapy

Percentage of visits for patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea who were prescribed positive airway pressure therapy who had documentation that adherence to positive airway pressure therapy was objectively measured.

Date Reviewed: November 4, 2018

Sleep Apnea: Severity Assessment at Initial Diagnosis

Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea who had an apnea hypopnea index (AHI) or a respiratory disturbance index (RDI) measured at the time of initial diagnosis.

Date Reviewed: November 4, 2018

Sleep Apnea: Assessment of Sleep Symptoms

Percentage of visits for patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea that includes documentation of an assessment of sleep symptoms, including presence or absence of snoring and daytime sleepiness.

Date Reviewed: November 19, 2017

Tuberculosis (TB) Prevention for Patients with Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis, and Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients on a Biological Immune Response Modifier

Percentage of patients whose providers are ensuring active tuberculosis prevention either through yearly negative standard tuberculosis screening tests or are reviewing the patient’s history to determine if they have had appropriate management for a recent or prior positive test.

Date Reviewed: November 4, 2018