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December 19, 2023

ACEP to CMS: Consider the Boarding Crisis in Reporting Measures

ACEP has submitted comments regarding quality and efficiency measures under annual consideration for use by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Strengthening Geriatric Emergency Care, Calling for Boarding Measures

ACEP comments about the Age Friendly Hospital Measure incorporate the 4Ms (What Matters, Medications, Mentation, Mobility), standards developed by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement from our Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation (GEDA) framework, among other standards.

ACEP also strongly supports the inclusion of a boarding-related attestation as a starting point to track boarding in the emergency department. We implore CMS to consider the boarding crisis in future measures.  

Encouraging Group/Entity Accountability

For screenings related to Social Drivers of Health (SDOH), we asked that CMS consider measure attribution, a process that would hold a group or entity accountable for selecting a patient population, providing appropriate health services, and achieving adequate health outcomes.

ACEP encourages evaluation at the clinician group level to ensure that gaps are fairly attributed to entities with agency to be responsible and accountable for outcomes.

Leveling the Playing Field on Quality Measures

Under-resourced facilities must not face undue difficulty or burdensome penalties that could affect access to care for vulnerable populations.

We asked for sensitivity and consideration of a formula to evaluate under-resourced facilities that ensures some congruency between their quality performance relative to facilities with more resources.

ACEP proudly represents your interests in our interactions with federal agencies and regulators, every day. Fueled by your engagement, this is just one way that ACEP moves behind the scenes to call for changes to improve your ability to do your job.

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Quality-Driven Emergency Care

ACEP Federal Advocacy Overview

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