ECDS Webpage Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

ECDS Description

What is the HEDIS® ECDS Reporting Method?

ECDS is a HEDIS reporting method for health plans collecting and submitting quality measures to NCQA. This reporting method includes standards that define the data sources and types of structured data acceptable for use for a measure. Data systems that may be eligible for ECDS reporting include, but are not limited to, administrative claims, clinical registries, health information exchanges, immunization information systems, disease/case management systems and electronic health records.

Why did NCQA develop a new reporting method for HEDIS?

NCQA wanted to create a new reporting standard that reflected the increased use and uptake of electronic clinical data. Thus, the HEDIS ECDS Reporting method encourages health information exchange, which is the secure sharing of patient medical information electronically.¹ ECDS reporting is also part of NCQA’s larger strategy to enable a Digital Quality System and is aligned with the industry’s move to digital measures.

What are the differences between ECDS and Traditional reporting methods?

1. Measure Population: For ECDS and Traditional-Administrative reporting, measures are calculated based on the full member population. For Traditional-Hybrid reporting, measures are calculated based on a systematic sample of members.
2. Data Sources: For Traditional methods, plans use administrative data and can supplement numerator and required exclusion information from other non-administrative data sources, also known as “supplemental data” (e.g., EHR, HIE/registry, case management). Unlike supplemental data used in traditional HEDIS reporting, non-administrative data can be used to identify any element of a measure’s specification (e.g., identifying the denominator).
3. Terminology: Administrative data and supplemental data can both be used in ECDS. However, ECDS does not use the term “supplemental data”.
4. Data Format: Traditional reporting methods allow the use of data in nonstandard formats and layouts to capture missing service data not received through standardized sources, such as claims, encounters, or other transactions. The ECDS reporting method promotes the use of electronic data standards and requires that all data be stored in structured electronic formats that use standard layouts.
5. Data sharing: For ECDS, all data used for reporting must be shared, meaning that there is access to the data bi-directionally. These data must be made accessible to the member and the member’s care team upon request for care coordination and planning.

What is the difference between ECDS, dQMs and eCQMs?

ECDS is a HEDIS reporting method for health plans that collect and submit quality measures.

Electronic Clinical Quality Measures (eCQMs), originally developed for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services EHR Incentive Program (i.e., Meaningful Use), are designed for eligible providers or hospitals and primarily use EHR data for calculating results. For additional information regarding eCQMs, please refer to the eCQI Resource Center.

Digital Quality Measures (dQMs) provide a digital format for HEDIS measures and consist of self-contained packages of files that include the technical specifications in both human-readable documentation and computable interoperable specifications. dQMs are fully specified and standards-based (FHIR-CQL) measure content that improves the delivery of specifications. dQMs can be made available through NCQA’s Digital Content Services.

For additional information regarding digital HEDIS measures and the digital quality transition, please refer to the Digital Quality Hub.

ECDS SOURCES

Does ECDS reporting use claims?

Yes, administrative claims are considered a key data source for ECDS reporting if the data can also be made available to a member’s care team. Descriptions of additional data sources used for ECDS reporting can be found here.

How are data for ECDS different from supplemental data?

Typically, there are no differences in the data sources themselves. However, ECDS reporting provides a structured way to categorize the data sources that are considered “supplemental” for traditional HEDIS reporting. For example, immunization information systems data are considered “supplemental data” for traditional HEDIS and are classified as “Registry” for ECDS reporting. In addition, unlike supplemental data used in traditional HEDIS reporting, ECDS data can be used to identify any element of a measure’s specification (e.g., identifying the eligible population). Although the primary source of data may often be the same, ECDS reporting has specific guidelines for how data should be structured and are categorized for reporting. These guidelines are published annually in the HEDIS Volume 2 publication.

Will the rules for supplemental data change for traditional HEDIS Reporting?

Currently, there are no plans to change the way supplemental data are defined and used for traditional reporting. NCQA will continue to review and make changes as needed.

Can data abstracted from medical records be used for ECDS reporting?

The intent of ECDS reporting is to encourage the electronic exchange of clinical data. However, we know not all organizations currently receive all data electronically. Therefore, we currently allow data abstracted from medical records to be used if they are captured and stored in structured formats that use standard layouts and meet the data source requirements laid out in the Guidelines for Measures Reported Using Electronic Clinical Data Systems.

What does “accessible at the point of care” mean?

A core principle of ECDS reporting is that the information needed to successfully deliver the highest-quality care must be available (e.g., through EHR-generated quality reports, electronic portals or automated electronic notifications) to the health care team responsible for managing a member’s health. For ECDS reporting, performance data should be available to care teams upon request. Organizations meet this requirement if they are able to provide the requested information (e.g., phone, secure email, direct feed, provider portal, file request) to providers who are treating their members. Organizations should have documented processes for tracking these requests to be reviewed as part of the HEDIS audit.

How are data transmitted between the plan and the point of care?

NCQA does not specify a method or file format for exchange of clinical information but encourages the use of Health Level Seven International (HL7) structured document standards for comprehensive quality data and exchange of data (e.g., FHIR).

What are the audit requirements for ECDS and who determines whether a system “qualifies”?

All data used for HEDIS reporting must be audited. Some sources used for the ECDS reporting methodology, such as clinical, registry and case management data, are labeled as supplemental sources for the traditional HEDIS reporting methodologies. Therefore, these sources are audited following the supplemental data validation requirements. Plans should complete the Audit Roadmap documentation for all sources considered for use and work with their auditors through the validation and approval process. Specific questions can be asked through MyNCQA.

What types of data would typically be leveraged from case management systems?

Member information collected through a collaborative process of member assessment, care planning, care coordination or monitoring of a member’s functional status and care experience. For example, case management systems can be used as a potential data source for identifying results from patient-reported screenings and other assessments. Some health plans operate case management programs to coordinate and manage care for certain members. Depression screening and other health assessments are often delivered through these programs and captured as structured data in case management systems.

If a plan uses its internal case management system as a data source, does it need evidence it shared data with the provider?

The system must be verified by an NCQA-Certified auditor that the information can be accessed by all health care providers responsible for managing the member’s condition upon request. NCQA does not specify how providers access the information, or how frequently. 

MEASURE USE

When will measures reported using ECDS be included in NCQA evaluation programs?

NCQA works with our advisory panels and other stakeholders to continuously assess when measures are ready for use in our evaluation programs, such as Health Plan Ratings.

The following ECDS-reported measures will be included in Health Plan Ratings 2026 (based on Measurement Year 2025):

See the full list of required Health Plan Ratings measures: https://www.ncqa.org/hedis/reports-and-research/ncqas-health-plan-ratings-2026/

Will traditional HEDIS measures be respecified for ECDS reporting?

Currently, some traditional HEDIS measures can be optionally reported via the ECDS reporting method. Allowing optional ECDS reporting for traditional HEDIS measures provides health plans an opportunity to gain experience with the reporting method using measures they are familiar with. NCQA plans to transition the remaining traditional HEDIS measures to ECDS-only over time. As of Measurement Year 2025, seven traditional HEDIS measures are only available via ECDS reporting. See the ECDS webpage for the confirmed transition timeline.

What is NCQA’s plan for hybrid measures?

NCQA has set a goal to remove the HEDIS Hybrid reporting method by Measurement Year 2029 to reduce the burden of manual record retrieval and enable progress toward the shared goal of making all quality measures, including HEDIS measures, available as FHIR/CQL computable dQMs. Please refer to this blog post regarding NCQA’s plan for Traditional-Hybrid measures.