Measures using the ECDS reporting method must be audited before being approved for use in a NCQA program. Measures in the HEDIS domain that use the ECDS reporting method have not yet been approved for use in any NCQA program at this time.
HEDIS 2018
FAQ Directory
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about NCQA’s various programs. If you don’t see what you are looking for in one of the entries below, you can ask a question through My NCQA.
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10.15.2017 ECDS Must measures be audited for public reporting, or may unaudited data be reported?
10.15.2017 ECDS Is the “care team accessibility” requirement fulfilled if a member’s health record is available online and the provider can access it with the member present or with the member’s consent?
10.15.2017 ECDS May we use depression screening performed by case managers who are employees of a health plan and are not part of an external provider group directly serving the member?
Yes. Data collected by care/case managers employed by a health plan are appropriate, and are reported in the Case Management category in the measure report.
Care/case managers are considered part of the member’s care team because they help members manage a condition and/or their use of health care services.
HEDIS 2018
10.15.2017 ECDS Must a specific provider type be able to access ECDS sources?
10.15.2017 ECDS Clarify “data must be accessible by the health care team at point of care.”
To qualify for HEDIS ECDS reporting, practitioners/practitioner groups that are accountable for clinical services provided to members must be able to access all ECDS data used by a health plan for quality measure reporting.Qualifying modes of access may be as simple as a provider’s phone request for member information, or as sophisticated as an integrated decision support system.
HEDIS 2018
10.15.2017 ECDS What auditing process and documentation are required for ECDS sources?
The audit process for HEDIS ECDS measures is evolving. Data sources fall under audit requirements for standard supplemental data. Plans complete a Roadmap for each data source so the NCQA-Certified auditor is aware of all data that are being considered for reporting. Auditors validate policies and procedures for each data source (e.g., file layout, mapping). Although primary source verification is not required, auditors may want to validate the primary source during an initial review of data, to ensure accuracy and validity.
HEDIS 2018
10.15.2017 ECDS Must the eMeasure section in the Roadmap be completed for ECDS measures?
Plans work with their NCQA-Certified auditor to complete the most appropriate section of the Roadmap for the data source. The eMeasure section is intended for use by data aggregators and EHR vendors, but may be adapted and modified. Plans should work with auditors or contact NCQA with specific questions about the eMeasure Roadmap or Audit Roadmap Section 5.
HEDIS 2018
10.15.2017 ECDS If the same data source is used as ECDS and as supplemental data, are health plans required to submit separate Roadmaps/documentation?
Plans should work with their NCQA-Certified auditor to accurately identify all data sources being considered for HEDIS reporting, whether the source is used for ECDS measures or for other HEDIS domain measures. If a plan completed an Audit Roadmap (Section 5) and will use the data source for both supplemental data and ECDS, this should be noted.
HEDIS 2018
10.15.2017 ECDS May electronic data feeds from groups that include screenings be used if depression screening results are included?
Electronic data feeds are appropriate for ECDS reporting if they include the standard data required by the measure specifications (e.g., PHQ-9 total score, LOINC code for alcohol screening performed).
All data sources used for ECDS reporting must be reviewed and approved by NCQA-Certified auditors to ensure they meet domain requirements.
HEDIS 2018
10.15.2017 ECDS Who determines that data “qualify” for ECDS reporting?
Refer to the ECDS general guidelines for information. Request clarification through the NCQA Policy Clarification Support (PCS) system at https://my.ncqa.org or review the proposed systems with your NCQA-Certified auditor. Send requests for individual technical support with ECDS reporting to ecds@ncqa.org.
HEDIS 2018
10.15.2017 Transitions of Care Please clarify the September 15 FAQ stating that SNPs and MMPs are not required to report the TRC measure because it does not appear in Table 3 of the CMS reporting requirements memo. Are SNP and MMPs plans required to report TRC in their contract-level submission?
10.15.2017 ECDS For IP-ECDS coverage, does NCQA look for the number of members in the initial population?
IP-ECDS coverage count includes all members in the initial population who are being managed by at least one provider with the capacity to send, receive and use electronic data for quality improvement purposes.The Initial Population includes all members (covered and not covered by ECDS) who are identified as eligible for the measure reported by the data source category used to determine eligibility.
HEDIS 2018