NCQA Advances Development of a New HEDIS® Measure for Colorectal Cancer Screening Follow-Up

In recognition of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, we are sharing an update on our ongoing efforts to develop a new HEDIS^® measure for colorectal cancer screening follow-up.

Colorectal cancer represents approximately 8% of all new cancer cases; it is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States and the leading cause of cancer deaths in men under 50.¹ Routine screening—through colonoscopy, stool-based testing or other methods—can detect precancerous polyps that can be removed before they develop into a later-stage cancer.

“Many individuals with a positive screening through a stool-based test do not receive the necessary follow-up care, such as a colonoscopy,” says Brenna Lin, NCQA’s Applied Research Scientist. “Ensuring that abnormal screening results are followed by timely diagnostic care is essential to achieving the full benefit of screening. The proposed HEDIS measure is designed to address this quality gap.”

Progress Over the Past Year

NCQA continues its partnership with the Council of Medical Specialty Societies and the American Gastroenterological Association to develop a new HEDIS measure to improve follow-up care for patients who receive positive colorectal cancer stool-based test screening results. The project is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

We advanced the measure through several major development steps:

• Completed a comprehensive review of clinical guidelines and evidence to ensure alignment with current standards.
• Presented the draft measure to three NCQA advisory panels. Their guidance informed refinements to the measure’s intent, specifications and feasibility.
• Conducted field-testing with three partner organizations to assess feasibility, evaluate performance using real-world data and guide updates to measure specifications.

Now Open for Public Comment

The proposed HEDIS measure, Follow-Up After Positive Colorectal Cancer Non-Invasive Screening Test, is posted for public comment through March 13. NCQA welcomes feedback from all individuals and organizations who wish to share their perspectives. Public comment is a vital part of the measure development process and helps ensure that new measures are scientifically sound, meaningful and feasible to implement.

Visit our public comment webpage to learn more or to submit your comments.

Acknowledgements

The NCQA Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) Measures for Colorectal Cancer Screening project is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award to the Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS) totaling $1,563,853 with 100 percent funded by CDC/HHS. The contents are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor endorsement by, CDC/HHS or the U.S. Government.

HEDIS^® is a registered trademark of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).

¹National Cancer Institute, 2023.