HEDIS Measure Public Comment Period May Increase Future Lung Cancer Screening Uptake

The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) seeks comment about a proposed new HEDIS® (Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set) measure Tobacco Use Screening and Cessation Intervention.

Visit My NCQA to submit comments. The public comment period ends March 13 at 5pm ET.

This new measure will assess how well health plans ensure persons who screened positive for tobacco use received tobacco cessation intervention. Successful performance on this measure is dependent upon a complete and accurate smoking history in the electronic health record (EHR). Additionally, this proposed measure would enable positive health plan performance on a lung cancer screening uptake HEDIS measure, should NCQA develop such a measure.

Smoking pack-years is an important criterion for low dose chest CT lung cancer screening eligibility, and the lack of reliable information has been a primary hindrance to efficiently identifying individuals eligible for this lifesaving screening. Improved documentation will help accelerate lung cancer screening (LCS) rates- which presently stand at just under 20 percent.

Today approximately 1 in 5 patients eligible for LCS are receiving this life saving test. We are hopeful that if adopted, this new HEDIS measure will help increase LCS rates closer to the 70% of other cancer screening tests.

Cigarette smoking is the number one cause of preventable mortality in the United States. Addressing tobacco use and the importance of tobacco cessation will significantly improve public health by reducing the impact of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and lung diseases on people and their families.

For details on the proposed changes, visit the NCQA website.

For more information or if you have any questions, contact Judy Burleson, American College of Radiology® Vice President, Quality Management Programs.