The latest list of measures under consideration (MUC) by CMS lists a few potential new items for inclusion in the Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP).
There were no additions to the Home Health Quality Reporting Program included on the list, released Dec. 5, 2023.
Decisions on whether to include any of these measures will be made following futher evaluation through the rulemaking process.
The proposals for the HQRP include:
Timely Reassessment of Pain Impact: The Timely Reassessment of Pain Impact measure captures the percent of hospice patient assessments that have a pain reassessment within 2 days when pain impact was initially assessed as moderate or severe. Data for this measure are collected by hospice clinicians using the HOPE instrument. Symptom impact assessments are administered at fixed timepoints during a hospice election - at admission (ADM) and in conjunction with the first and second interdisciplinary group (IDG) meetings. When pain symptom impact is assessed as moderate or severe, a HOPE Symptom Reassessment (SRA) is to occur within 2 calendar days of the initial/triggering assessment. For the purposes of this measure, a quality episode is defined as the period from the date of the symptom impact assessment to two calendar days thereafter.
Timely Reassessment of Non-Pain Symptom Impact: The Timely Reassessment of Non-Pain Symptom Impact measure captures the percent of hospice patient assessments that have non-pain symptom(s) reassessment within 2 days when symptom impact was initially assessed as moderate or severe. Data for this measure are collected by hospice clinicians using the HOPE instrument. Symptom impact assessments are administered at fixed timepoints during a hospice election - at admission (ADM) and in conjunction with the first and second interdisciplinary group (IDG) meetings. When non-pain symptom impact is assessed as moderate or severe, a HOPE Symptom Reassessment (SRA) is to occur within 2 calendar days of the initial/triggering assessment. For purposes of this measure, a quality episode is defined as the period from the date of the symptom impact assessment to two calendar days thereafter.
There were also a proposed measure for the CAHPS Hospice Survey:
Sub-measure 1: Care Preferences - Care Preferences is a multi-item measure derived from the CAHPS® Hospice Survey, Version 9.0, a 39-item standardized questionnaire and data collection methodology. The survey is intended to measure the care experiences of hospice decedents and their primary caregivers. Survey respondents are the primary informal caregivers (i.e., family members or friends) of patients who died while receiving hospice care. The Care Preferences measure is composed of responses to the following two survey items:
- Did the hospice team make an effort to listen to the things that mattered most to you or your family member?
- Did the hospice team provide care that respected your family member’s wishes?
Sub-measure 2: Hospice Team Communication - Hospice Team Communication is a multi-item measure derived from the CAHPS® Hospice Survey, Version 9.0, a 39-item standardized questionnaire and data collection methodology. The survey is intended to measure the care experiences of hospice decedents and their primary caregivers. Survey respondents are the primary informal caregivers (i.e., family members or friends) of patients who died while receiving hospice care. The Hospice Team Communication measure is composed of responses to the following five survey items:
- How often did the hospice team let you know when they would arrive to care for your family member?
- How often did the hospice team explain things in a way that was easy to understand?
- How often did the hospice team keep you informed about your family member’s condition?
- How often did the hospice team listen carefully to you when you talked with them about problems with your family member’s hospice care?
- While your family member was in hospice care, how often did the hospice team listen carefully to you?
Sub-measure 3: Getting Hospice Care Training- Getting Hospice Care Training is a single-item measure derived from the CAHPS® Hospice Survey, Version 9.0, a 39-item standardized questionnaire and data collection methodology. The survey is intended to measure the care experiences of hospice decedents and their primary caregivers. Survey respondents are the primary informal caregivers (i.e., family members or friends) of patients who died while receiving hospice care. The Getting Hospice Care Training measure is composed of responses to the following survey item:
- Hospice teams may teach you how to care for family members who need pain medicine, have trouble breathing, are restless or agitated, or have other care needs. Did the hospice team teach you how to care for your family member?