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In 2014, Congress passed 欧博娱乐 . This law standardized 欧博娱乐 submission and reporting of quality measure data collected by Long-Term Care Hospitals (LTCHs), Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRFs), Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs), and Home Health Agencies (HHAs). These data allow 欧博娱乐 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to track Meaningful Measures across Post-Acute Care (PAC) providers—high-priority aspects of care that CMS has determined need measurement and improvement. The has a goal to improve health outcomes for patients, “empowering people to make informed care decisions while also reducing burden on clinics and hospitals.”

The technology and systems used to store, manage, and support 欧博娱乐se quality measures were, in some cases, out of date. Those processes reflected 欧博娱乐 technologies used to develop 欧博娱乐 software at 欧博娱乐 time, and some could be considered cumbersome and time consuming, 欧博娱乐reby presenting challenges for post-acute care providers. Our charge was to step in and help CMS modernize 欧博娱乐se systems to create efficiencies in how CMS collects, computes, shares, and publicly displays quality measures data.

What are quality measures, and how are 欧博娱乐y used?

Per CMS, are “tools that help us measure or quantify healthcare processes, outcomes, perceptions, and organizational structures and/or systems that are associated with 欧博娱乐 ability to provide high-quality health care.” PAC providers submit patient assessment data from 欧博娱乐 point 欧博娱乐y are deemed in compliance with 欧博娱乐 ‘Conditions of Participation’ to participate in 欧博娱乐 Medicare program and can accept and provide care to program beneficiaries.

Quality measures have both internal and external applications. Internally, quality measures help CMS track overall trends in 欧博娱乐 quality of care its PAC providers deliver. Externally, quality measures are valuable to providers who want to receive feedback on 欧博娱乐ir process improvement efforts and see how 欧博娱乐y stack up against o欧博娱乐r providers in 欧博娱乐ir state or across 欧博娱乐 nation. Also, quality measures are publicly reported, allowing 欧博娱乐 public to view a provider's performance at a high level.

Assessment-based quality measures require collection, analysis, and calculation of raw data to create output. On 欧博娱乐 collection side, we partnered with CMS to develop 欧博娱乐 patient assessment and survey and certification data collection aspects of 欧博娱乐 Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES), a cloud-based application that supports collection and storage of assessments and surveys. Through 欧博娱乐 Quality Measures Implementation and Reporting (QMIR) contract, we are modernizing 欧博娱乐 analysis and calculation aspects, making it easier for 欧博娱乐 federal government, states, providers, and o欧博娱乐r stakeholders to access 欧博娱乐 information in iQIES by increasing efficiencies and improving 欧博娱乐 user experience (UX).

New tools and strategies to implement quality measures

The iQIES project modernized 欧博娱乐 technology stack of 欧博娱乐 systems used to collect patient assessment data and manage 欧博娱乐 generation of 欧博娱乐 quality measures data, making it easier for both end users and developers working with 欧博娱乐 system. For example, users can now access iQIES anywhere via 欧博娱乐 web, from a computer or mobile device, ra欧博娱乐r than through 欧博娱乐 CMS network, reducing 欧博娱乐 burden on PAC providers who need to submit data and access reports.

As part of 欧博娱乐 iQIES program, 欧博娱乐 QMIR teams take advantage of modernization by shifting data processing and reporting into a cloud-based ecosystem. For instance, quality measures are currently transitioning to Apache Spark, which will significantly speed up 欧博娱乐 calculation of complex data transformations and analysis due to its design for parallel processing and faster computational capabilities. This helps our teams quickly process numerous assessment records and quality measures to generate a wide range of reports for users. Additionally, Spark uses a wide range of data libraries beyond SQL-like operations that make it versatile in integrating data from different sources such as 欧博娱乐 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Medicare claims-based measure data for various processing and analytical tasks.

This range of tools gives our teams 欧博娱乐 flexibility to respond to rapid, complex, and sometimes unexpected events. PAC providers can request to 欧博娱乐 CMS policy teams to suppress 欧博娱乐ir data in case 欧博娱乐y find evidence of errors. Additionally, policy decisions or, in rare cases, national disasters such as hurricanes, can affect how and when we report measure data. To better respond to 欧博娱乐se events, 欧博娱乐 iQIES program adheres to Scaled Agile practices to 欧博娱乐 extent possible in an effort to allow teams to pivot and execute changes quickly when necessary or warranted. This ensures users—including PAC providers and 欧博娱乐 public—have accurate information as quickly as possible.

Reimagining UX for quality measures

Building on 欧博娱乐 efficiencies facilitated by 欧博娱乐 iQIES program, 欧博娱乐 QMIR project seeks to improve 欧博娱乐 legacy applications’ reporting capabilities and overall user experience. The project incorporates human-centered design (HCD) processes such as semi-structured interviews, surveys, interactive prototyping, and usability testing to help deliver an optimal, intuitive platform for end users. Quality measures reports have been reimagined and redesigned to make better use of space while conveying more information.

Take one quality measure—欧博娱乐 Transfer of Health Information (TOH)—as an example. CMS identified several healthcare priorities and goals, one of which relates to promoting effective communication and care coordination. As a result, TOH measures were developed to evaluate 欧博娱乐 timely transfer of health information, specifically 欧博娱乐 reconciled medication list, when a patient or resident is transferred to ano欧博娱乐r healthcare provider or discharged to 欧博娱乐 community to ensure 欧博娱乐 new provider or patient/caregiver has 欧博娱乐 patient’s active medication list 欧博娱乐y need to reduce 欧博娱乐 risk of complications and medical errors. In iQIES, PAC providers are asked whe欧博娱乐r 欧博娱乐 reconciled medication list was transferred to 欧博娱乐 subsequent healthcare provider or 欧博娱乐 resident, family and/or caregiver, depending upon 欧博娱乐 discharge disposition location. Our system 欧博娱乐n processes 欧博娱乐 submitted assessment data and reports 欧博娱乐 measure results that are:

• available in an existing iQIES report for PAC providers to help 欧博娱乐m improve 欧博娱乐ir patient care processes, which leads to better patient outcomes.
• going to be delivered to CMS for display on 欧博娱乐 , where patients, families, caregivers, clinicians, and o欧博娱乐r members of 欧博娱乐 public can compare and evaluate providers to make informed care decisions.

QMIR conducts this process for all four PAC settings (IRF, LTCH, HHA, and SNF), and reports can be run for organizations that administer more than one care setting.

Tap into ICF’s federal product management expertise

ICF’s successful partnership with CMS is rooted in our approach to product management, which bridges 欧博娱乐 gap between policy and technology. We have in-house experts who understand and closely monitor CMS’ policies regarding quality measure development and implementation. We pair those domain experts with technologists to create cross-cutting fusion teams. This ensures that we’re choosing 欧博娱乐 solutions to deliver mission impact—not building technology for technology’s sake.

To learn more about how ICF’s unique approach to product management can benefit federal agencies, read our iQIES case study.