CMS Seeks Members for Expert Panel to Develop and Maintain Quality Measures Panelists Will Give Input on Measures for Inpatient, Outpatient, and Ambulatory Settings
Nomination Deadline: September 19, 2011 What Is CMS doing? The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), in conjunction with its contractor, seeks members for a technical expert panel (TEP) that will give input to develop medication measures for use in future hospital inpatient and outpatient quality improvement and reporting programs. The panel will also give input on maintaining and adapting previously developed medication management measures and how these measures can continue to support quality care for Medicare beneficiaries. How Could You Help? For this TEP, we are seeking experts to help us develop clinically valid measures, including: * Clinical experts who specialize in adverse drug events, medication errors, polypharmacy, pain management, infectious disease pharmacotherapy, and conditions of high prevalence to Medicare beneficiaries (e.g., cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, cancer, and mental health-related conditions); * Pharmacy or operational experts who specialize in Electronic Health Records (EHR) technology's impact on and interface with medication use, medication reconciliation, and other issues relevant to medication management and medication systems; * Experts with experience providing care in hospitals for inpatients and/or outpatients, ambulatory surgical centers, ambulatory care settings, and in coordinating care among these settings; * Experts in measure development, performance improvement, and quality improvement; * Experts in patient and family engagement, including those with consumer and purchaser perspectives; and * Experts in health care disparities. How Will the Measures Be Used? The work of the TEP will maintain previously developed medication measures and support the National Quality Forum (NQF) endorsement process, while adapting existing NQF-endorsed medication measures for implementation in CMS reporting programs such as the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS), the Hospital Inpatient and Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting Programs (IQR and OQR, respectively), and others as directed by CMS. The TEP will also develop new medication measures that address the detection and prevention of adverse medication-related patient safety events that can be used in future Quality Improvement Organizations (QIO) initiatives and in CMS provider reporting programs. What Is a TEP? A TEP is a group of stakeholders and experts who provide input to the measure contractor on the development, selection, and maintenance of measures for which the contractor is responsible. Convening the TEP is one important step in the measure development or reevaluation process that ensures transparency and allows an opportunity to obtain balanced, multi-stakeholders input. Recognized experts in the relevant fields including clinicians, statisticians, health disparities reduction specialists, and professionals who represent purchasers' or consumers' interests are being recruited to provide input on the measures under development. TEP members are chosen to provide input based on their personal experience and training. The TEP is chosen to represent a diversity of perspectives and backgrounds. How Can You Apply (or Nominate an Expert)? To nominate yourself or a colleague, please visit our Web site at https://www.cms.gov/MMS/15_TechnicalExpertPanels.asp for details. Our contractors must receive a complete package by the due date to consider you further. A complete package contains: * A completed (and signed) TEP Nomination/Disclosure/Agreement Form (downloaded from our website); * A letter of interest (no more than 2 pages), highlighting experience/knowledge relevant to the expertise described above and involvement in measure development; and * Curriculum vitae and/or list of relevant experience (e.g., publications) (10 page maximum). How Can You Submit a Nomination? If you wish to nominate yourself or other individuals for consideration, please follow the instructions posted in the Downloads section of our Web site at https://www.cms.gov/MMS/15_TechnicalExpertPanels.asp. We must receive your nomination no later than September 19, 2011, for it to be considered. 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