The Status of Quality Measure Development in Hospice – Part 4

Hospice Compare:

Input and Advocacy: Hospice Leaders’ Opportunity to Guide the Process

Given that both of these initiatives – the creation of the HOPE tool and the Hospice Care Index claim-based measures – are currently under development, CMS is providing a number of opportunities for hospice leaders to learn more and to participate. 

“I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to become involved in the process as these programs evolve,” Ast said. “CMS holds regularly scheduled calls for providers, and CMS must answer questions and respond to all comments. It is our responsibility as providers and educators to advocate for what we want and need – consistent quality measures that are manageable, encourage continuous improvement, and will be of value to patients and families making healthcare choices.”

Resources

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Hospice Quality Reporting:
https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/Hospice-Quality-Reporting

Hospice Outcomes & Patient Evaluation Tool (HOPE)
https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/Hospice-Quality-Reporting/HOPE

Hospice Care Index: Claims Based Measures
https://www.cms.gov/files/document/hqrp-forum-august-2020-slides.pdf

Hospice Quality Reporting Program Forum on Claims-Based Measures: Transcript from August 5, 2020 Meeting:
https://www.cms.gov/files/document/hqrp-forum-august-2020-transcript.pdf

National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization – HOPE Tool
https://www.nhpco.org/regulatory-and-quality/quality/hope-tool/

Resources

1. Aldridge, M. D., Canavan, M., Cherlin, E., & Bradley, E. H. (2015). Has Hospice Use Changed? 2000-2010 Utilization Patterns. Medical care, 53(1), 95–101. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4262565/
2. National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization Facts and Figures 2018. https://39k5cm1a9u1968hg74aj3x51-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2018_NHPCO_Facts_Figures.pdf
3. https://www.rti.org/sites/default/files/rti_issue_brief_hospice_quality_care.pdf
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Health Statistics. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/hospice-care.htm
5. https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/Hospice-Quality-Reporting
6. https://www.rti.org/sites/default/files/rti_issue_brief_hospice_quality_care.pdf
7. https://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-02-16-00570.asp
8. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/1832198
9. https://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/business/collection/business-of-dying/
10. https://www.jpsmjournal.com/article/S0885-3924(15)00073-1/abstract
11. https://www.rti.org/sites/default/files/rti_issue_brief_hospice_quality_care.pdf
12. https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/hospice-compare-website#:~:text=The%20goal%20of%20Hospice%20Compare,ask%20a%20prospective%20hospice%20provider
13. https://www.cms.gov/files/document/hope-faqfinaldecember-2019.pdf
14. http://www.medpac.gov/docs/default-source/reports/mar19_medpac_ch12_sec.pdf
15. https://www.cms.gov/files/document/hope-faqfinaldecember-2019.pdf
16. https://www.rti.org/sites/default/files/rti_issue_brief_hospice_quality_care.pdf
17. https://www.cms.gov/files/document/hope-faqfinaldecember-2019.pdf
18. https://www.cms.gov/files/document/hqrp-forum-august-2020-slides.pdf
19. https://www.cms.gov/files/document/hope-faqfinaldecember-2019.pdf
20. Ibid
21. Ibid
22. Ibid
23. https://insidehealthpolicy.com/sites/insidehealthpolicy.com/files/documents/2020/sep/he2020_2188.pdf
24. https://www.cms.gov/files/document/hqrp-forum-august-2020-slides.pdf
25. Ibid
26. Ibid
27. https://www.cms.gov/files/document/hqrp-forum-august-2020-transcript.pdf

About National Hospice Cooperative

Our mission is to provide world-class, business support services, maximizing financial and process efficiencies to empower community-based, not-for-profit hospice providers to focus their resources on the delivery of quality care.

Contributors

Sharon Schreiber
CEO BrandWeavers for Health

Donna L. Arbogast
President and Principle
Donna Arbogast & Associates LLC

Jeff Lycan
President
National Hospice Cooperative 

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Katherine Ast, MSW, LCSW
Director of Quality and Research
American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine