Are eCQMs Represented as a Decimal or Percentage?

The vast majority of eCQMs are proportion measures, in which the final score is represented as a percentage. Proportion measures track what percentage of your eligible patient population received a specific standard of care as defined by CMS or The Joint Commission. This is known as your performance rate.

The elements of an eCQM score

Proportion measures are calculated like fractions. Multiple patient population elements are combined to arrive at a numerator and a denominator, which are then mathematically divided to arrive at your final performance rate.

The most common elements of that score include:

• Initial Patient Population (IPP): The broad set of patients or episodes of care that may qualify for the measure’s standard of care.
• Denominator: A subset of the IPP. This is typically a narrowed-down set of patients or encounters that officially qualify for the standard of care. For many eCQMs, however, the IPP and the denominator are the same.
• Denominator Exclusions: A subset of the denominator that should not be considered for inclusion in the numerator. Exclusions are often designed to exclude patients from the measure that have pre-existing conditions that make it difficult for a hospital or clinician to deliver CMS’s defined standard of care
• Numerator: A subset of the Denominator. Patients or encounters that make it into the numerator have met the criteria established by the measure’s defined standard of care.

In standard proportion measures, 100% is a perfect score, so the higher your performance rate, the better. Learn more about the components of an eCQM.

Inverse proportion measures

Some eCQMs are inverse proportion measures, meaning the ideal score is 0%. For inverse measures, the lower your score, the better. These measures are typically used to track patient safety concerns, such as the rate of concurrent opioid prescriptions or severe obstetric complications while patients are under your care.

How to get started with eCQMs

If you’re brand new to eCQMs, be sure to visit CMS’s guide to getting started with eCQMs. Or schedule a 1-1 call with Medisolv to learn how we can help you jumpstart your eCQM program. From measure setup to regulatory submissions and beyond, Medisolv’s solutions are designed to help you improve your eCQM performance and advance patient care every day.