Physicians should implement certain measures in their quality reporting system to ensure CMS will provide them bonuses, rather than pay cuts, according to AJMC.
Here are 10 ways to improve your quality reporting system.
1. Access your Quality and Resource Use Report. Providers can access this report through their Taxpayer Identification Number through the Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System.
2. Choose MIPS or APMs, accordingly. In the Merit-Based Incentive Program, CMS is adjusting reimbursement to reflect a physician's quality scores, meaningful use attainment and practice efficiency as well as improvement.
In Alternative Payments Models, like an accountable care organization, the CMS will give providers an automatic 5 percent bonus for participating in an APM and may reimburse more if the practice is a certified patient-centered medical home. While the APM has great rewards, there is also great risk because CMS will not provide shared savings if the provider does not meet metric standards.
3. Make care convenient to increase the number of Annual Wellness Visits. To promote consumer health, Medicare launched the AWVs to encourage physicians to conduct preventive screenings. AWVs encompass 11 quality measures of the 33 measures PQRS/GPRO requires. The CMS reimburses higher for AWVs compared to normal evaluation and management visits, and is more likely to assign patients to providers who have completed AWVs.
4. Understand your quality measure metrics.
5. Be aware of patient behaviors/ lifestyle. Understanding a patient's behavior can better help providers measure their health and ensure medication adherence.
6. Openly and regularly reward primary care physicians. Studies show physicians reported greater personal satisfaction when they received shared saving payments by hand rather than receiving a check.
7. Offer patient chronic care management. CMS provides reimbursement for providers who work toward excellent population health.
8. Have patients complete Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey.
9. Ensure you are ICD-10 compliant.
10. Save your PQRS/GRPO results.
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