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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Healthcare Quality – Resources

Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Healthcare Quality.

MBQIP Quality Measures National Annual Report - 2022
Summarizes quality measure reporting rates and performance among Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in 2022. Presents data on the four Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) domains: patient safety/inpatient, outpatient, patient engagement, and care transitions.
Author(s): Megan Lahr, Alyssa Furukawa, Madeleine Pick, Robert Barclay
Date: 10/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Medicare: Performance-Based and Geographic Adjustments to Physician Payments
Statement to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Health, summarizing the Government Accountability Organization's (GAO) 2021 reports on the Quality Payment Program and the two tracks it established to incentivize Medicare providers and its 2022 report on geographic adjustments to physician payments. Includes information on the participation of providers in rural and underserved areas in Advanced Alternative Payment Models (APMs) and the challenges these providers face in transitioning to APMs.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS): 2023 MIPS Promoting Interoperability Performance Category Hardship Exception Application Guide
Provides guidance on how clinicians can apply for a MIPS hardship exception. Highlights guidance for having your MIPS Promoting Interoperability performance category reweighted to 0% in cases of insufficient internet connectivity, decertified electronic health record technology, or other circumstances out of the clinicians control.
Date: 09/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS): Traditional MIPS Scoring Guide for the 2023 Performance Year
Provides details on how scores are calculated for the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), one of two tracks under the Medicare Quality Payment Program. Explains the four performance categories that affect Medicare Physician Fee Schedule payments: quality, cost, improvement activities, and promoting interoperability. Includes information for small practices.
Date: 09/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS): 2024 Payment Year - Payment Adjustment User Guide
Provides information on Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) payment adjustments for calendar year 2024. Describes how 2022 MIPS scores relate to 2024 payment adjustments and how payment adjustments are applied. Offers answers to frequently asked questions.
Date: 08/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Quality Time: Sharing PIE – Preventing Readmissions
Podcast episode discussing the varied approaches used by quality leaders from three Critical Access Hospitals to reduce readmissions. Covers community partnerships and collaboration with local health and human services providers, including emergency medical services (EMS).
Date: 08/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Stratis Health
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MBQIP Measures Fact Sheets
Discusses the federal data collection and reporting process for Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) Core Measures and MBQIP Additional Measures to help Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) and state Flex Program personnel involved in quality improvement. The measures address patient safety, patient engagement, care transitions, and outpatient care.
Date: 08/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Stratis Health
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Critical Access Hospital Electronic Clinical Quality Measure (eCQM) Resource List
Resource list for electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs), reflecting new materials and updates from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for 2022 reporting.
Date: 08/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Stratis Health
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Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS): Reporting Options Comparison Resource
Provides an overview of the similarities and differences among the three Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) reporting options: Traditional MIPS, MIPS Value Pathways (MVP), and Alternative Payment Model (APM) Performance Pathway (APP). Designed to help providers understand which reporting options may be best for their practice. Includes information on reporting flexibilities and scoring for small and rural practices.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Building On CMS's Accountable Care Vision To Improve Care For Medicare Beneficiaries
Describes progress the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has made to date in its accountable care strategy. Outlines areas that CMS is exploring to accelerate the growth of and access to accountable care organizations (ACOs) that can support improved care and quality for beneficiaries, especially those in rural and underserved areas. Covers aligning the testing of ACO models and features with the Shared Savings Program (SSP), growth in the SSP, and using ACOs to reach more underserved populations and promote health equity.
Author(s): Purva Rawal, Douglas Jacobs, Elizabeth Fowler, Meena Seshamani
Citation: Health Affairs Forefront
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
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Last Updated: 10/30/2023