The measure focuses on resources used to deliver episodes of care for patients with pneumonia. Pneumonia episodes are defined using the Episode Treatment Groups (ETG) methodology and describe the unique presence of the condition for a patient and the services involved in diagnosing, managing and treating pneumonia. A number of resource use measures are defined for pneumonia episodes, including overall cost of care, cost of care by type of service, and the utilization of specific types of services.

The measure focuses on resources used to deliver episodes of care for patients who have undergone a Hip/Knee Replacement. Hip Replacement and Knee Replacement episodes are initially defined using the Episode Treatment Groups (ETG) methodology and describe the unique presence of the condition for a patient and the services involved in diagnosing, managing and treating the condition. The Procedure Episode Group (PEG) methodology uses the ETG results and further logic to creating a procedure episode that focuses on the Hip Replacement and Knee Replacement component of the care.

Total Cost of Care reflects a mix of complicated factors such as patient illness burden, service utilization and negotiated prices. Total Cost Index (TCI) is a measure of a primary care provider’s risk adjusted cost effectiveness at managing the population they care for. TCI includes all costs associated with treating members including professional, facility inpatient and outpatient, pharmacy, lab, radiology, ancillary and behavioral health services.

The Resource Use Index (RUI) is a risk adjusted measure of the frequency and intensity of services utilized to manage a provider group’s patients. Resource use includes all resources associated with treating members including professional, facility inpatient and outpatient, pharmacy, lab, radiology, ancillary and behavioral health services.

A Resource Use Index when viewed together with the Total Cost of Care measure (NQF-endorsed #1604) provides a more complete picture of population based drivers of health care costs.

The risk-adjusted relative resource use by health plan members with COPD during the measurement year.

The risk-adjusted relative resource use by health plan members with asthma during the measurement year.

The risk-adjusted relative resource use by health plan members with specific cardiovascular conditions during the measurement year.

The risk-adjusted relative resource use by health plan members with diabetes (type 1 and type 2) during the measurement year.

The percentage of adolescents 18 years of age who had a blood pressure screening with results during the measurement or the year prior to the measurement year.

The percentage of adolescents 13 years of age who had a blood pressure screening with results during the measurement year or the year prior to the measurement year.