Why should I report a QCDR? This question arises for many providers who want to report MIPS measures but can’t find ones that represent their patient population. This challenge is most prevalent for specialists, leading to the creation of Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR) measures. 

Differences between MIPS and QCDR measures
While MIPS measures are intended to be applicable to various clinicians across different specialties, QCDR measures are developed by medical societies or specialty organizations and are specific to a particular specialty. These measures are often tailored to the unique needs of a specialist’s patient population and clinical practices.

Examples of specialty-specific QCDR measures
For example, a physical therapist may use a QCDR measure that tracks outcomes specific to physical therapy because this patient care isn’t captured in standard MIPS measures. These QCDR measures are geared toward a distinct patient population, which makes them more meaningful for providers who are specialists. Having measures focused on special patient populations can allow these specialists to also identify gaps in care in their practices, which isn’t easily attainable when reporting general MIPS measures.

When building a custom measure works best
It isn’t unheard of for specialists to go through all MIPS measures and available QCDR measures and still not find measures that fit their patient population. When there’s a gap in the available quality measures or an organization focuses on specific populations or conditions not well represented by existing measures, building a custom measure could be valuable. It does require an understanding of both clinical aspects and technical measurement development. If you have the resources, the expertise, and a clear need for a specific measure that’s not adequately addressed by existing options, developing your own QCDR measure can be a worthwhile investment.

Benefits of QCDR measures in boosting MIPS scores
Reporting meaningfully and understanding true gaps in care in patient populations can lead to a higher MIPS score, because QCDRs may offer more specialized measures that better capture the quality of care provided by the specialist. Providers and healthcare organizations can identify areas where there can be an improvement in healthcare delivery and identify areas that will have the biggest impact on patient outcomes.

Feedback and continuous improvement with QCDR
QCDRs are also required to provide feedback to clinicians regarding their performance on quality measures, which can help improve care delivery on a quarterly basis. This feedback provides even more insight in targeting lacking patient care.

Using a QCDR can ensure identifying these areas will drive performance scores up. Higher scores improve the likelihood of Medicare reimbursement.

When to consider QCDR measures over standard MIPS measures
So, if you’re a specialist and find yourself struggling to find MIPS measures that apply to your patient population and you think there are gaps in patient care that are more helpful to focus on, consider reporting on — or even developing — QCDR measures.

Check out Healthmonix's QCDR measures here.