CMS Introduces Proposed Changes Including Bi-Directional Exchange Through HIE

In early August, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule affecting reporting for Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) and Quality Payment Program (QPP) for calendar year (CY) 2021.

Although the proposed changes are not as extensive as in prior years due to the burden COVID-19 has placed on healthcare providers, CORHIO supports CMS’ increased efforts towards promoting interoperability in this proposed rule by including a new health information exchange measure for eligible clinicians, which could significantly reduce the workflow onus on reporting practices.

This new proposed measure, Health Information Exchange (HIE) Bi-Directional Exchange, would require eligible clinicians to attest that they participate in an HIE to secure bi-directional exchange on every patient encounter, transition or referral and record or store this event within their Electronic Health Record (EHR). CMS proposes that the Bi-Directional Exchange measure would be worth 40 points.

CORHIO agrees with the public comments on the proposed rule made by our trade organization, the Strategic Health Information Exchange Collaborative (SHIEC) which read, “More incentives to use existing HIE infrastructure will result in more clinicians participating in directed exchange, query-based exchange and consumer mediated exchange of health care data. HIEs aim to help create true longitudinal care records and support improved care coordination by facilitating timely access to robust health information across care settings, and inclusion of this proposed new measure is a way to incentivize clinicians and HIEs to continue doing this important work.”

CORHIO can support this effort through multiple solutions including Continuity of Care Document exchange and patient data query utilizing our PatientCare 360® product. Our sales and healthcare quality improvement teams can work on solutions to fit your needs.

“Using the CORHIO HIE to meet this measure would greatly automate this workflow for practices. The workflows for practices to meet the current measures are usually quite cumbersome and ineffective,” states Healthcare Quality Improvement Director for CORHIO, Lauren Girard. “Most often I see practices utilize a workflow outside of the EHR, which discourages data sharing and even worse, utilizes other mechanisms like fax—which often is a point of failure.”

Girard continues, “This new measure would encourage continuity of care by leveraging the HIE and reduce the administrative burden on practices.” CORHIO is ready to answer questions regarding this proposed new measure and has the resources available to support practices attesting to it."