[Intl_DxMedPhys] CMS image quality eCQM measure

[Rutel, Isaac B. (HSC)]

While I find this announcement reassuring from a policy sense, (even though it was already mentioned in the initial publication) from the practical aspect, has ANYONE been able to wrangle the actual calculations for these metrics from Alara Inc or any other contributor?  I have had no luck.  While I imagine that other vendors will eventually be able to provide this . . . how is that possible if there are no published calculations/specifics for these metrics.  I don't even want to carve out business, I just want the opportunity to spot check the calcs to see if the metrics from Alara (or other non-specific manufacturer) are calculating correctly.

Isaac Rutel, Ph.D., DABR
Associate Professor
Dept. Radiological Sciences
OUHSC
405-596-2623

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE:    This email, including any attachments, contains information from The University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, which may be confidential or privileged. The information is intended to be for the use of the individual or entity named above. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of the contents of this information is prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please notify the sender immediately by "reply to sender only" message and destroy all electronic and hard copies of the communication, including attachments

From: Intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list <intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list-bounces at lists.osu.edu> On Behalf Of William Sensakovic via Intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list
Sent: Thursday, January 30, 2025 2:49 PM
To: Wunderle, Kevin via Intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list <intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list at lists.osu.edu>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] [Intl_DxMedPhys] CMS image quality eCQM measure

FYI, from cms about 10 minutes ago Excessive Radiation Dose or Inadequate Image Quality for Diagnostic Computed Tomography in Adults eCQM- Measure Clarification The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is providing clarification
FYI, from cms about 10 minutes ago

Excessive Radiation Dose or Inadequate Image Quality for Diagnostic Computed Tomography in Adults eCQM- Measure Clarification

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is providing clarification regarding the reporting requirements for the Excessive Radiation Dose or Inadequate Image Quality for Diagnostic Computed Tomography in Adults electronic clinical quality measure (eCQM) beginning with the Calendar Year 2025 performance period.

Hospitals and clinicians who choose to report this eCQM may use any vendor's software that meets the necessary requirements to generate the standardized data elements required to calculate the measure, consistent with the measure's specifications. Hospitals and clinicians are not required to use the Alara Imaging Software for CMS measure compliance. Any software vendor capable of calculating and reporting this eCQM in accordance with the measure's specifications, including transforming radiology data into a format compatible with eCQM reporting, may report this measure on behalf of hospitals and clinicians. Hospitals and clinicians are not required to demonstrate to CMS that the software they or their vendors use can generate and transform the radiology data into the necessary format.  However, nothing would prevent a hospital or clinician seeking assurance about the ability of specific software to perform these tasks from requesting that information from a vendor.

As with all eCQMs, CMS will monitor measure results to ensure that all reported data for the Excessive Radiation Dose or Inadequate Image Quality for Diagnostic Computed Tomography in Adults eCQM are both reliable and valid. This may include analyzing data to identify outliers and common characteristics of outlier submissions.


William F. Sensakovic, PhD, MRSC(MRSE), FAAPM
Chair and Assoc. Prof., Mayo Clinic (Arizona)
Founder, Telerad Physics Teaching, LLC


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.osu.edu/mailman/private/intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list/attachments/20250130/74a05afa/attachment.html>