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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Promoting Interoperability (PI)

Clinical Quality Measures

Overview

Clinical quality measures, or CQMs, help track the quality of healthcare services provided by EPs and EHs. Based on a variety of data, CQMs measure many aspects of patient care such as health outcomes, clinical processes, patient safety, efficient use of healthcare resources, care coordination, patient engagements, population and public health, and clinical guidelines. Tracking and reporting these CQMs helps ensure that health care services are effective, efficient, and patient-centered. One of the components of demonstrating Meaningful Use is to report on Clinical Quality Measures.

EPs must report on 9 CQMs, and EHs must report on 16 CQMs. In addition, EPs and EHs must select CQMs from at least three of the six National Quality Strategy domains listed below.

  1. Patient and Family Engagement
  2. Patient Safety
  3. Care Coordination
  4. Population and Public Health
  5. Efficient Use of Healthcare Resources
  6. Clinical Processes/Effectiveness

Keep in mind:

  • CQMs have no required thresholds.
  • Data should be reported directly from the certified EHR.
  • Reporting zeros is acceptable.
  • CQMs may not be applicable to everyone (e.g., specialists).

View the RPMS 2014 CQM List [PDF - 88 KB] to see which CQMs are available in the 2014 Certified RPMS EHR