Fall 2020

The measure estimates a hospital-level 30-day, all-cause, risk-standardized readmission rate (RSRR) for patients age 65 and over discharged from the hospital with either a principal discharge diagnosis of COPD or a principal discharge diagnosis of respiratory failure with a secondary diagnosis of acute exacerbation of COPD. The outcome (readmission) is defined as unplanned readmission for any cause within 30 days of the discharge date for the index admission (the admission included in the measure cohort). A specified set of planned readmissions do not count in the readmission outcome.

The measure estimates a hospital-level risk-standardized readmission rate (RSRR) for patients discharged from the hospital with a principal diagnosis of heart failure (HF). Readmission is defined as unplanned readmission for any cause within 30 days of the discharge date for the index admission. Readmissions are classified as planned and unplanned by applying the planned readmission algorithm. The target population is patients age 65 and over.

The measure estimates a hospital-level 30-day, all-cause, risk-standardized readmission rate (RSRR) for patients age 65 and older discharged from the hospital with either a principal discharge diagnosis of pneumonia (including aspiration pneumonia) or a principal discharge diagnosis of sepsis (not severe sepsis) with a secondary diagnosis of pneumonia (including aspiration pneumonia) coded as present on admission (POA). Readmission is defined as an unplanned readmission for any cause within 30 days of the discharge date for the index admission.

The measure estimates a hospital-level risk-standardized readmission rate (RSRR), defined as unplanned readmission for any cause within 30-days from the date of discharge for a qualifying index CABG procedure, in patients 65 years and older.

An index admission is the hospitalization for a qualifying isolated CABG procedure considered for the readmission outcome.

The measure estimates a hospital-level risk-standardized readmission rate (RSRR) following elective primary THA and/or TKA in Medicare Fee-For-Service (FFS) beneficiaries who are 65 years and older. The outcome (readmission) is defined as unplanned readmission for any cause within 30 days of the discharge date for the index admission (the admission included in the measure cohort). A specified set of planned readmissions do not count in the readmission outcome.

The percentage of children ages 1 to 18 years with sickle cell anemia (SCA) who were dispensed hydroxyurea for at least 300 days within the measurement year.

The percentage of home and community-based services (HCBS) recipients aged 18 years or older who have identified at least as many total personal priorities (up to three) as needs in the areas of self-care, mobility, or instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) combined as determined by the most recent FASI assessment.

Percentage of vaginal deliveries (excluding those coded with shoulder dystocia) during which an episiotomy is performed.

Standardized morbidity ratio and observed minus expected measure for nosocomial bacterial infection after day 3 from birth in very low birth weight infants, defined as infants whose birth weights are between 501 and 1500 grams

NQF #0496 calculates the median time from emergency department arrival to time of departure from the emergency room for patients discharged from the emergency department (ED). The measure is calculated using chart-abstracted data, on a rolling quarterly basis, and is publically reported in aggregate for one calendar year. The measure has been publically reported since 2013 as part of the ED Throughput measure set of the CMS’ Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (HOQR) Program.