FAQ Directory: HEDIS

Filter Results
  • Save
  • Email
  • Print
expand all

10.15.2017 ECDS For IP-ECDS coverage, does NCQA look for the number of members in the initial population?

IP-ECDS coverage count includes all members in the initial population who are being managed by at least one provider with the capacity to send, receive and use electronic data for quality improvement purposes.The Initial Population includes all members (covered and not covered by ECDS) who are identified as eligible for the measure reported by the data source category used to determine eligibility.

HEDIS 2018

10.15.2017 ECDS Must measures be audited for public reporting, or may unaudited data be reported?

Measures using the ECDS reporting method must be audited before being approved for use in a NCQA program. Measures in the HEDIS domain that use the ECDS reporting method have not yet been approved for use in any NCQA program at this time.

HEDIS 2018

10.15.2017 ECDS What file formats are acceptable for transmitting data between the plan and the care team at the point of service?

NCQA does not specify file formats for exchanging clinical information, but strongly encourages adherence to Health Level Seven International (HL7) standards for clinical document exchange (e.g., QRDA, CCD) and electronic health care information exchange (e.g., FHIR).

HEDIS 2018

10.15.2017 ECDS If a plan wants to use its internal case management system as a data source, must there be evidence that data were shared with the provider?

To use a case management system for ECDS reporting, the system must be verified by an NCQA-Certified auditor and demonstrate (e.g., policies and procedures) that all health care providers responsible for managing a member’s condition have access to information. It is not necessary to track whether the information was accessed, but there must be evidence that data are available on request.

HEDIS 2018

10.15.2017 Transitions of Care Please clarify the September 15 FAQ stating that SNPs and MMPs are not required to report the TRC measure because it does not appear in Table 3 of the CMS reporting requirements memo. Are SNP and MMPs plans required to report TRC in their contract-level submission?

Yes. Contracts that offer SNP and MMP plan benefit packages are required to report TRC in their contract-level submission, as described in Table 2 of the CMS HEDIS 2018 Reporting Requirements memo.

HEDIS 2018

10.15.2017 ECDS What happens if members seek services from a provider who cannot share health care data using ECDS?

10.15.2017 ECDS Must the eMeasure section in the Roadmap be completed for ECDS measures?

Plans work with their NCQA-Certified auditor to complete the most appropriate section of the Roadmap for the data source. The eMeasure section is intended for use by data aggregators and EHR vendors, but may be adapted and modified. Plans should work with auditors or contact NCQA with specific questions about the eMeasure Roadmap or Audit Roadmap Section 5.

HEDIS 2018

10.15.2017 ECDS May we use depression screening performed by case managers who are employees of a health plan and are not part of an external provider group directly serving the member?

Yes. Data collected by care/case managers employed by a health plan are appropriate, and are reported in the Case Management category in the measure report.

Care/case managers are considered part of the member’s care team because they help members manage a condition and/or their use of health care services.

HEDIS 2018

10.15.2017 ECDS What does NCQA mean by “information has to be accessible by the health care team at the point of care”?

To qualify for HEDIS ECDS reporting, practitioners and practitioner groups that are accountable for clinical services provided to members must have access to data used by plans for quality measure reporting, regardless of the SSoR.

NCQA does not currently specify a method of data access, but a core principle of ECDS reporting is that the information needed to deliver the highest-quality care must be available to the entire health care team responsible for managing a member’s health.

Qualifying modes of access may be as simple as a provider’s phone request for member information, or as sophisticated as an integrated decision support system. The care team’s ability to access data must be documented, to provide evidence that information is available whether or not it is accessed.

HEDIS 2018

10.15.2017 ECDS How are ECDS measures different from the eMeasures in Meaningful Use?

HEDIS ECDS and eClinical Quality Measures (eCQM) developed for Meaningful Use are specified using the same data standards. eCQMs are specifically designed to use data extracted from an EHR, and HEDIS ECDS measures use multiple data sources to complete the picture of member experience across the care continuum.

HEDIS 2018

10.15.2017 Breast Cancer Screening, Colorectal Cancer Screening, Controlling High Blood Pressure, and Osteoporosis Management in Women Who Had a Fracture The Medicare Monthly Membership File includes a run date and a payment date. Which date should be used to determine that a member had an LTI flag during the measurement year?

Use the run date to determine that a member had an LTI flag during the measurement year.

HEDIS 2018

10.15.2017 ECDS Does the denominator only include plan members covered by ECDS who are in the initial population?

Yes. The denominator should be all members covered by ECDS who do not meet exclusion criteria.

HEDIS 2018