PQRS: What It Is and How to Participate
Posted by 1st Providers Choice on
The Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) is a program that encourages eligible healthcare professionals and group practices to report information to Medicare on the quality of care that they provide.
Using feedback provided by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), physicians can then easily assess the quality of care that they are providing, compare their performance to their peers, and make necessary adjustments in order to improve care quality. This ensures that patients always have access to the best care possible.
PQRS participants are eligible to receive incentive payments if they adequately report on quality measures – and starting in 2015, they may also get negative payment adjustments for failing to meet quality metrics.
With the June 30, 2015 deadline looming, the end of the reporting year for PQRS, 1st Providers Choice has put a team together to help clients get started. From getting your practice setup for PQRS reporting to explaining the steps that need to be taken to avoid penalties, our team provides comprehensive assistance – both for individual physicians and those reporting as a group.
How to Participate in PQRS
The first step is to find out whether you are eligible to participate in the PQRS program. Then you will need to decide whether to participate as an individual physician or as part of a group practice. (Practices with two or more physicians using the same Tax Identification Number may report PQRS measures as a group instead of individually.) If you are not sure what the differences are, we can help – just call 480-782-1116 today to speak with a PQRS expert.
Reporting methods will vary depending on if you are participating individually or as a group. Individual physicians may choose to report on quality information through one of the following methods:
- Medicare Part B claims
- Qualified PQRS registry
- Using Certified EHR Technology (CEHRT)
- CEHRT via Data Submission Vendor
- Qualified clinical data registry (QCDR)
For more information about the Group Practice Reporting Option (GPRO), click here.
Getting Help with PQRS
With 1st Providers Choice’s fully certified EHR software, PQRS compliance is simple. Our team is knowledgeable on what is required for PQRS reporting, and we are committed to assisting physicians with successful PQRS submissions.
Contact us to learn more or to get help answering questions about PQRS qualifying and reporting.