Read Important Updates to QRDA I Schematrons for eCQM Reporting

Important Technical Update to 2016 QRDA I Schematrons for Electronic Clinical Quality Measure (eCQM) Reporting
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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published updates to the 2016 CMS Quality Reporting Document Architecture (QRDA) Category I Schematrons for Hospital Quality Reporting (HQR) and Eligible Professional (EP) programs on the CMS Electronic Clinical Quality Measures (eCQM) Library and the Electronic Clinical Quality Improvement (eCQI) Resource Center. This updated Schematron applies to QRDA Category I submissions for Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR), Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS), and the Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive programs. 

What Has ChangedCMS has published Schematron version 2.3 to address an incorrectly generated error message when users submitted codes other than Logical Observations Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) for several eCQMs that use Diagnostic Study Performed and Laboratory Test Performed QDM data types. Users experienced these issues when submitting the QRDA Category I files using the previously published versions of the QRDA Category I Schematron. This release will replace any previous versions of the 2016 QRDA Category I Schematrons for HQR and EP programs, which have been removed from the CMS eCQM Library page and eCQI Resource Center. Please also refer to the change log and release notes within the Schematron zip file for CMS program specific changes.

What Is Not Affected

• Schematrons for QRDA Category III are not affected and have not been changed.
• There is no risk of a status change to data submitters who previously received confirmation of successful Quarter 3 (Q3) eCQM reporting to the IQR and the EHR Incentive Programs.

Additional Submission Information

• File status confirmation can be obtained by generating EHR Hospital Reporting Feedback and Submission Reports within the QualityNet Secure Portal.
• Changes to the CMS eCQM Receiving Systems to reflect the updated Schematrons are anticipated in November 2016. The HQR QualityNet Secure Portal will remain available for test and production file submission. The PQRS submissions will open as planned in January 2017.

Available Schematrons for the 2016 Reporting Period

• Updated 2016 CMS QRDA I Schematron v2.3 for HQR and EP Programs *Now Available*
• 2016 CMS QRDA III Schematrons v2.2 for EP Programs - Published July 2016

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Availability of Testing Tools with Schematron v2.3 update incorporated

• HQR: Pre-Submission Validation Application (PSVA) – Anticipated November 2016
• EP: Submission Engine Validation Tool (SEVT) –Anticipated December 2016
• EP & HQR: Cypress Validation Utility (CVU) – Anticipated October 2016