Stage 1

Calculating, Reporting, and Attesting Meaningful Use Stage 1 Clinical Quality Measures Data

How are Meaningful Use Clinical Quality Measures Calculates?

According to the CMS Final Rule, a provider’s Certified EHR technology must be able to calculate each measure’s numerators, denominators and exclusions for each CQM.
Click here for more information on CQM Measure calculations

CMS’s Electronic Specifications for Reporting Clinical Quality Measures Data

The Meaningful Use Stage 1 final rule requires that “eligible professionals, eligible hospitals, and CAHs electronically submit CQM results (numerators, denominators, exclusions) as calculated by certified EHR technology.” In order to report quality measures from an EHR, electronic specifications must be developed that include the data elements, logic and definitions for that measure in a format that can be captured or stored in the EHR so that the data can be sent or shared electronically with other entities in a structured, standardized, unaltered format. CMS’s EHR Incentive program website contains guidelines on these electronic specifications.

For more information on the CQM Electronic Specifications, visit the CMS Meaningful Use CQM website.

Both eligible professionals and hospital Meaningful Use Stage 1 CQMs are endorsed by the National Quality Forum (NQF). For more information on the measure endorsement process, visit the NQF’s website.

Attestation Information for CMS EHR Medicare Incentive Program

CMS recently posted registration information and a frequently asked question document regarding the attestation statements that Medicare providers must agree to in order to successfully demonstrate meaningful use of electronic health records and receive an incentive payment under the Medicare EHR Incentive Program. Please see the attestation section of CMS’s Medicare EHR Incentive Program for more information how Medicare providers can attest their meaningful use data.