Physician’s Quality Reporting System (PQRS)

All users of PQRS-certified electronic health records (EHRs) in North and South Carolina are invited to participate in a joint program being offered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and The Carolinas Center for Medical Excellence (CCME) to receive free assistance with earning incentives under PQRS.

Current PQRS Initiative: 
Consistent with national health care goals to expand EHR system use and functionality, CMS is encouraging providers to begin reporting PQRS measures using the EHR option (as opposed to claims- or registry-based). Since there are only 28 EHRs “qualified” to report PQRS data using the EHR option, PQRS-certified EHR users are part of an exclusive group of providers being invited to join this program.

Benefits of Participation:

• Ability to successfully participate in PQRS and achieve financial incentives
  • Incentives of 1 percent for 2011 (if ready to report) and 0.5 percent for 2012, based on Medicare Part B Physician Fee Schedule charges
• Coordination of goals to achieve incentives through the EHR Incentive Program – Meaningful Use and other available programs
• Technical assistance provided
• Routine monitoring of PQRS measures throughout the year to ensure there are no surprises once data are actually submitted to the CMS for incentive payment and future public reporting
• CCME will lead you through all steps necessary to be successful.
• Eliminate failure to report PQRS measures resulting in payment penalties beginning in 2015
• Prepare your practice for the public reporting of performance on quality measures via “Physician Compare” in 2013.

Eligibility: 
To be eligible to participate, the provider must be:

• Using (or planning to use) a “Qualified” EHR"
• Eligible for the PQRS incentive program, as defined by CMS*
• Willing and able to report three of six PQRS preventive care measures in 2012
  • #110:  Influenza Immunization for Patients >= 50 Years
  • #111:  Pneumonia Vaccination for Patients 65+
  • #112:  Screening Mammography
  • #113:  Colorectal Cancer Screening
  • #226:  Tobacco Use: Screening and Cessation Intervention
  • #237:  Hypertension:  Blood Pressure Management

Services: 
CCME will provide the following assistance to providers:

• Enable EHR functionality needed to conduct PQRS EHR reporting.
• Identify exactly where and how to record specific data elements for each measure.
• Establish workflows to allow efficient and consistent data capture.
• Develop routine reports that allow monthly monitoring of PQRS measures.
• Implement a continuous quality improvement program to improve performance rates.
• Submit data to CMS to receive incentive payments.
• Share best practices and expertise from topic experts on new developments in prevention services (for example, the CDC and physician specialists).
• Provide assistance based on practice needs.

We encourage you to complete the Expression of Interest form below as soon as possible, as only a limited number of providers will be accepted into this program.

For more information, please email Maureen Schwarzer, BSN, RN, at mschwarzer@thecarolinascenter.org.

*In general, most providers that bill under Medicare Part B PFS are eligible for participation.

Expression of Interest