How Do Your Physicians Compare?
- By Renee Dustman
- In CMS
- October 19, 2017
- No Comments
The Physician Compare preview period began Oct. 18 and ends Nov. 17. Now is the time for physicians to review their profiles for accuracy before they are made public. Misinformation could cost your practice dearly.
Check the Basics
General information given on the Physician Compare website for physicians enrolled in Medicare includes:
- Name
- Medical specialties
- Contact information
- Medicare assignment status
- Board certifications
- Education and residency
- Group/Hospital affiliations
- Gender
- Accountable Care Organization affiliation
This information is collected from PECOS, claims data, and board certifications; if you find errors, amend the sources.
Check Performance
Certain performance information is also made public on Physician Compare. In December 2017, Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) 2016 data will be posted online for all to see; and in 2018, Quality Payment Program 2017 performance data will be made available.
The PQRS group measures (with a minimum 20-patient sample size) being publicly reported this year are:
| PQRS Measure # | Plain Language Title | Reporting Mechanism |
|
006 |
Giving antiplatelet blood thinners to patients with heart disease. |
Registry |
|
047 |
Older patients who have an advanced care plan or someone to help make medical decisions for them when they can’t. |
Registry |
|
048 |
Evaluating loss of bladder control in older women. |
Registry |
|
051 |
Spirometry evaluations in patients with COPD. |
Registry |
|
110 |
Getting a flu shot during flu season. |
Web Interface |
|
111 |
Making sure older adults have gotten a pneumonia vaccine. |
Web Interface |
|
113 |
Screening for colorectal (colon or rectum) cancer. |
Web Interface |
|
117 |
Eye exam for patients with diabetes. |
Web Interface |
|
128 |
Screening for an unhealthy body weight and developing a follow-up plan. |
Web Interface |
|
134 |
Screening for depression and developing a follow-up plan. |
Web Interface |
|
226 |
Screening for tobacco use and providing help quitting when needed. |
Registry |
|
238 |
Limiting high-risk medicine use in older adults. |
Registry |
|
318 |
Screening older patients’ risk of falling. |
Web Interface |
|
412 |
Signed opioid treatment agreements for patients that are prescribed opioids. |
Registry |
|
438 |
Giving statin therapy to patients at risk for cardiovascular problems. |
Web Interface |
Take the Five-step Program
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) offers these five tips for previewing 2016 individual clinician and group performance information:
- Download the resources from the Physician Compare Initiative website.
- Use the Physician Compare Lookup Tool to find out if you have measures available for preview.
- Establish the correct Enterprise Identify Management (EIDM) account and user role.
- Preview your data in the Provider Quality Information Portal (PQIP).
- Sign up for reminders and updates.
Renee Dustman
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