From the June 2016 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine

Regarding the Hospital Acquired Conditions Reduction Program, CMS is not proposing any changes for FY 2017. Domain 1 will continue to consist of the conditions counted for each element under the PSI 90 measure. Domain 2 is composed of: hospitals’ number of CLASBIs; catheter-based urinary tract infections, colon or abdominal hysterectomy surgical site infections; and the numbers of MRSA and CD infections. Hospitals will be able to access their individual reports via the Quality Net Secure Portal in late summer 2016.

For the FY 2018 Hospital Acquired Conditions Reduction Program, CMS is proposing to implement a modified PSI 90 composite measure. The measure will now be called the Adverse Event Composite, per changes made when it went through National Quality Forum (NQF) maintenance in 2015. The Adverse Event Composite measure (NQF #0531) was modified where PSI 15 Accidental Puncture and Laceration Rate has been re-specified, now targeting abdominal and pelvic operations. This could include a paracentesis where the use of ultrasound could prevent a laceration or a puncture of an artery. The Adverse Event Composite will also no longer include the CLABSI measure, given that it is in Domain 2 as a stand-alone measure.


CMS will accept comments on the proposed rule until June 17, 2016, and will respond to comments in a final rule to be issued by Aug. 1, 2016. The proposed rule can be downloaded from the Federal Register at https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection.

About the author: Jill Rathbun is managing partner at Galileo Consulting Group in Arlington, Virginia. She will be commenting for HealthCare Business News on issues of interest to health care professionals.

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