Mastering MIPS 2022: Essential Measures for Allergy and Immunology Professionals

MIPS Quality Measures in Allergy and Immunology

Overview of MIPS Performance Categories

Each performance category in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) contributes a specific percentage to the overall score, which influences the payment adjustments clinicians receive for the subsequent MIPS year. It is important to note that the rules and regulations governing these categories are subject to annual updates. This article will focus on the MIPS Quality Measures associated with the Allergy and Immunology specialty.

MIPS Reporting Measures for Allergy and Immunology Specialty

This section provides a concise overview of the measures relevant to the Allergy and Immunology specialty for the MIPS 2022 evaluation.

MIPS 2022 Quality Measures for Allergy and Immunology

The Quality Measures category constitutes 30% of the overall score. Participants must report six measures from a designated list, which includes at least one outcome-based or high-priority measure. All measures need to be reported over a 12-month period.

Key Measures

– **Tobacco Use Screening and Help for Quitting (Measure No. 402)**: Targets adolescents aged 12 to 20 who visit a primary healthcare provider. This measure assesses the documentation of their tobacco use status and intervention to aid in cessation for regular users.

– **Preventive Care and Early Detection: Immunization Against Influenza (Measure No. 110)**: Relevant for patients aged six months and older, this measure tracks influenza immunizations received between October 1 and March 31.

– **Pneumococcal Vaccination Status of Older Adults (Measure No. 111)**: For patients aged 66 and older, this measure records those who have received the pneumococcal vaccine.

– **Documentation of Current Medications in the Medical Record (Measure No. 130)**: A high-priority measure for patients aged 18 and above, requiring documentation of all medications taken during their visit.

– **Preventive Care: Tobacco Use Screening and Intervention (Measure No. 226)**: Assesses patients aged 18 and older who have been screened for smoking in the past year and received intervention if they were regular smokers.

– **Use of High-Risk Medications in the Elderly (Measure No. 238)**: This high-priority measure focuses on patients aged 65 and older who are prescribed two or more high-risk medications.

– **Preventive Care: High Blood Pressure Screening (Measure No. 317)**: For patients aged 18 and older, this measure evaluates high blood pressure check-ups and necessary follow-ups.

– **Treatment of Acute Viral Sinusitis (Measure No. 331)**: This high-priority measure targets patients aged 18 and older diagnosed with acute viral sinusitis who were prescribed antibiotics unnecessarily.

– **Appropriate Antibiotic Use for Acute Bacterial Sinusitis (Measure No. 332)**: Focuses on patients aged 18 and older diagnosed with acute bacterial sinusitis who received amoxicillin as treatment.

– **Viral Load Suppression for HIV (Measure No. 338)**: For patients with HIV, this measure requires a viral load of fewer than 200 copies per mL during the measurement year.

– **Frequency of Medical Visits for HIV Patients (Measure No. 340)**: This measure mandates that HIV patients have medical visits every six months within a 24-month period.

– **Receiving Patient Information from Specialists (Measure No. 374)**: A high-priority measure ensuring that new healthcare providers obtain relevant patient information from previous providers.

– **Optimal Management of Asthma (Measure No. 398)**: Evaluates both adult and pediatric patients with well-controlled asthma to prevent exacerbations.

MIPS 2022 Promoting Interoperability (PI) Measures for Allergy and Immunology

In the MIPS 2022 reporting, the Promoting Interoperability category accounts for 25% of the total score. Participants must submit data for these measures over a minimum of 90 days. Utilizing EHR Technology from the 2015 edition is a requirement, effective by October 3, 2021.

Exception for Promoting Interoperability

Clinicians eligible for an exception in this category will have its 25% reweighted to the Quality performance category, increasing its share to 65% of the overall score.

Reporting Measures for Allergy and Immunology Specialty

The following measures are relevant to the Allergy and Immunology specialty:

– E-Prescribing
– Electronic Access to Patient Health Information
– Data Reporting from Clinical Registries
– Immunization Registry Reporting
– Public Health Registry Data Reporting
– Syndromic Monitoring Data Reporting
– Electronic Case Reporting (ECR)
– Supporting Electronic Referral Loops (Option 1)
– Health Information Exchange (HIE) Bi-Directional Exchange (Option 2)
– Querying the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) (optional)

MIPS 2022 Improvement Activities (IA) Measures for Allergy and Immunology

This category constitutes 15% of the total MIPS score in 2022. Participants need to attest completion of either two high-weighted or four medium-weighted activities over a minimum of 90 days.

Group Participation and Exceptions

Exceptions to reporting requirements may apply under certain circumstances, such as participating in a group with 15 or fewer members or being located in a rural area facing a health professional shortage. In these cases, only one high-weighted or two medium-weighted activities must be completed for a minimum of 90 days.

Available Reporting Measures

Among the over 100 measures available, the following are pertinent to the Allergy and Immunology specialty:
– IA_EPA_3: Collecting and utilizing patient experience data to improve access (medium-weighted)
– IA_CC_8: Enhancing documentation for better practice and process (medium-weighted)
– IA_CC_2: Improving communication of test results (medium-weighted)
– IA_AHE_1: Increasing participation among Medicaid and underserved communities (high-weighted)
– IA_BE_14: Enhancing interactions with patients and families to improve care (high-weighted)