MPSMS data show sharp decline in patient harm from 2010 to 2014
Editor's Note There were 2.1 million fewer patient harms between 2010 and 2014, resulting in thousands fewer accidental deaths and billions of dollars in health cost savings, finds this analysis of the Medicare Patient Safety Monitoring System (MPSMS). The analysis found that from 2005 to 2011, the rate of adverse…
Healthcare providers struggling to transition to VBP
Editor's Note Moving to information systems and data requirements of the new value-based payment (VBP) reimbursement system is proving to be a daunting challenge for healthcare providers, the June 13 Health Data Management reports. A survey of healthcare executives from 190 hospitals shows that only 3% of respondents provide more…
Reminder: July 1 is deadline to apply for 'meaningful use' hardship exception
Editor's Note Eligible hospitals, critical access hospitals, and professionals who did not achieve "meaningful use" in the Medicare Electronic Health Record Incentive Program for the 2015 reporting period have until July 1 to apply for a hardship exception from the 2017 payment adjustment. The streamlined hardship applications reduce the…
CMS releases alert on new ICD-9, ICD-10 exclusions
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an alert May 23 on newly excluded ICD diagnosis codes that will no longer be accepted starting January 7, 2017. The codes include: T88.8XXA (Other specified complications of surgical and medical care, not elsewhere classified, initial encounter) T88.8XXD (Other…
Public reporting measures don’t indicate hospital safety
Editor's Note Common measures used to rate hospital safety, such as the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Patient Safety Indicators and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital-acquired Conditions, do not accurately capture the quality of care provided, this study finds. Only one measure out of…
CMS, Joint Commission adopt 2012 NFPA 101 Life Safety Code
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Joint Commission on July 5 will begin using the 2012 version of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 101 Life Safety Code in their accreditation surveys. The final CMS rule requires hospitals to follow the 2012 version of the…
CMS approves IMQ as new ASC accrediting agency
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on April 29 approved the San Francisco-based Institute for Medical Quality (IMQ) as a national accrediting organization for Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) that participate in the Medicare or Medicaid programs (known as deemed status), the May ASC Focus reports. IMQ…
Medicare releases ASC quality data
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on May 4 released comprehensive ambulatory surgery center (ASC) quality data reports compiled through its Ambulatory Surgery Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR) program. Among the data reported are: Quality data code-based measures, such as wrong site, side, patient, procedure, implant Safe…
VBP program rewards 231 low-quality hospitals
Editor's Note Through its Value Based Purchasing (VBP) program, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) paid bonuses to 231 hospitals with lower quality because their patients were less expensive, this study finds. CMS began measuring both spending and quality in FY 2015 to encourage hospitals to provide more…
AHA asks CMS to suspend VBP pain questions
Editor's Note The American Hospital Association (AHA) on April 29 asked the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to suspend their pain-related questions in the Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program until concerns are addressed that the questions may contribute to the opioid epidemic, AHA News Now reports. The AHA says…
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