Americas Hernia Society Quality Collaborative Surpasses 20,000 Cases and is Designated a Qualified Clinical Data Registry by CMS for 2017
Denver, CO (PRWEB) July 26, 2017 -- The Americas Hernia Society Quality Collaborative (AHSQC) is pleased to share that it has surpassed 20,000 cases, doubling over the course of a year. “This is a significant milestone,” shared Michael Rosen, MD, AHSQC Medical Director and President. “Our exponential growth is a testament to the dedication of our surgeon participants who are committed to improving the delivery of care to hernia patients. With this wealth of information, we are able to take data analyses to the next level and critically review the clinical decisions we as hernia surgeons make on a daily basis.”
The inherent value of the data collected by the Collaborative is recognized beyond its members and partners as well. For the second consecutive year the AHSQC has been approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as a Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR). As a QCDR, CMS will accept relevant quality measures and improvement activities submitted directly from AHSQC for qualifying surgeons choosing to participate in the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) in 2017.
This achievement is the culmination of many months of effort by the AHSQC’s QCDR task force, co-chaired by Gina L. Adrales, MD, Baltimore, MD and Benjamin Poulose, MD, MPH, Nashville, TN. “Using a patient-centered approach, the team focused on developing meaningful measures for patients affected by hernia disease,” described Dr. Poulose who also serves as AHSQC Director for Quality Outcomes.
In 2016 CMS finalized major reform to the Medicare payment system, instituting a Quality Payment Program targeted to enhance the delivery of clinical care, citing 2017 as the year of transition to implementation. Under the new program, clinicians who meet the CMS reporting criteria are required to submit performance data including quality measures to CMS or face a negative payment adjustment penalty. “It is gratifying to receive this recognition and approval as a QCDR from CMS,” continued Dr. Rosen. “We can now expand our service to qualifying AHSQC members who participate in MIPS, not only mitigating their risk of -4% penalty but also positioning them to potentially earn a positive performance-based payment bonus.”
Founded in 2013, the AHSQC advocates for hernia surgeons and improved patient care at the federal level. Working with CMS to become a QCDR was an important strategic initiative, designed to assist members in complying with the latest government mandates related to healthcare delivery. As an approved QCDR, AHSQC participants who choose to satisfy their MIPS obligations via a data registry can utilize the AHSQC as their vehicle for reporting clinically relevant quality metrics related to hernia outcomes. All MIPS data will be transparent and available for public reporting by CMS.
Participation in the Americas Hernia Society Quality Collaborative is free to all members of the Americas Hernia Society in 2017 and includes stakeholders from across the continuum of care, including surgeons, hospitals, industry and the FDA. AHSQC programs are supported through AHSQC Foundation Partners including: Intuitive Surgical, Allergan, Bard/Davol, Medtronic and W.L. Gore.
For more information about the AHSQC, visit http://www.ahsqc.org or contact Shelby(at)ahsqc(dot)org.
About the AHSQC: Through data collection, analysis and collaborative learning, the AHSQC provides best practices, decision support, care pathways and ongoing performance feedback to participants and partners. The AHSQC is a CMS Qualified Clinical Data Registry and is an authoritative resource for organizations to assess quality metrics and demonstrate a commitment to efficient, value-based patient centered hernia care. Participation in the AHSQC fulfills Part 4 of the American Board of Surgery Maintenance of Certification Program.
Shelby Dunstan, AHSQC, http://www.ahsqc.org, +1 (866) 798-5406, [email protected]
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