CMS PQRI Measure 11 — Carotid Imaging Reports Specifications Update
Specifications for performance measures included in the 2009 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Physicians Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) were posted on the CMS Web site on Dec. 31, 2008. Included in the 153 quality measures for 2009 are the two “stroke imaging” measures reportable by diagnostic radiologists since 2007, Measures 10 and 11. Although it was expected that Measure 11, Carotid Imaging Reports, would be revised in 2009 to reflect an expansion of the measure denominator (not limited to patients with a diagnosis of ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack), CMS declined to use the updated version in 2009. The original specifications for Measure 11 used in 2007 and 2008 will again be used in 2009. The expanded version is likely to be used in 2010.
In addition to the stroke imaging measures, in 2009 there are two other measures potentially reportable by diagnostic radiologists: Recording of Fluoroscopy Time for Procedures Using Fluoroscopy (145) and Inappropriate Use of BI-RADS® 3 (146). Additionally, there are seven measures that may be reported by interventional radiologists (no new measures for 2009), six for radiation oncologists (three new measures for 2009), and one for nuclear medicine — the first measure that nuclear medicine physicians can report. For a list of these measures, click here.
Click here for more on the CMS PQRI program, or visit the CMS Web site.
