Hospice Compare Website
Background
Why is this information being released?
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is sharing information about hospice providers to permit the public to compare hospice providers on measures of care quality. The Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP) was established at section 1814(i)(5) of the Social Security Act. The Act also requires the Secretary to publicly report, on a CMS website, quality measures that relate to the care provided by hospice programs across the country.
What is the goal of the Hospice Compare site for consumers?
The goal of Hospice Compare is to help consumers compare hospice providers on their performance and assist in making decisions that are right for them. The information that CMS presents on Hospice Compare can also provide consumers with helpful questions to ask a prospective hospice provider.
Why did CMS create the new Hospice Compare website?
CMS created the new Hospice Compare website for patients and family members to support their ability to find and compare hospice providers based on whether the provider assesses the patient’s goals of treatment preferences and other quality indicators. Providers can start a conversation with their patients and family members about how the new Hospice Compare website impacts them by:
- Explaining that the compare website provides a snapshot of the quality of care a hospice offers;
- Encouraging patients and their family members to review quality ratings; and
- Helping to strengthen patients and family members’ ability to make the best decisions for their care.
What can I learn from reviewing this data?
This data can demonstrate how a hospice provider’s service quality compares to that of other local providers, as well as to the average national quality scores. It can showcase hospices’ ongoing commitment to quality and improve engagement and confidence among staff, patients, caregivers, families, and stakeholders.
What is the Hospice Item Set?
The Hospice Item Set (HIS) is the quality measure data expected to be completed by every hospice. The data is collected at admission and discharge for each patient. It captures important information about patient care.
The seven (7) National Quality Forum (NQF) - endorsed HIS quality measures initially displayed on Hospice Compare are:
- Hospice and Palliative Care- Treatment Preferences - NQF #1641
- Hospice and Palliative Care- Beliefs/Values Addressed- NQF #1647
- Hospice and Palliative Care- Pain Screening- NQF #1634
- Hospice and Palliative Care- Pain Assessment- NQF #1637
- Hospice and Palliative Care- Dyspnea Screening- NQF #1639
- Hospice and Palliative Care- Dyspnea Treatment- NQF #1638
- Hospice and Palliative Care- Patients treated with opioids who are given a bowel regimen- NQF #1617
What is the source of this publicly reported data?
Data is collected and submitted to CMS via the Hospice Item Set (HIS). The completion of an HIS admission record and discharge record are required. Data submissions occur on a rolling basis via the CMS Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (QIES) ASAP (Assessment Submission and Processing) system. Approximately 3,876 Hospices have contributed to the data on the new Hospice Compare site.
When will CAHPS® data be reported?
The Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers & Systems (CAHPS®) Hospice survey information will be displayed during a subsequent quarterly data update in winter 2018.
Summary of Findings
The following table lists the measures that are included on Hospice Compare and displays the national average rate of performance on the measures.
|
Hospice Measure Name and Description |
National Rate of Quality Measure Performance |
|
Patient Preferences |
|
|
Hospice and Palliative Care - Treatment Preferences - NQF #1641
|
98.4% |
|
Hospice and Palliative Care - Beliefs/Values Addressed - NQF #1647
|
93.3% |
|
Managing Pain and Treating Symptoms |
|
|
Hospice and Palliative Care - Pain Screening - NQF #1634
|
94.0% |
|
Hospice and Palliative Care - Pain Assessment - NQF #1637
|
76.3% |
|
Hospice and Palliative Care - Dyspnea Screening - NQF #1639
|
97.7% |
|
Hospice and Palliative Care - Dyspnea Treatment - NQF #1638
|
94.8% |
|
Hospice and Palliative Care - Patients treated with opioid who are given a bowel regimen - NQF #1617
|
94.1% |
Please note- Even when measure scores may average over 90 percent, there is often a wide range of provider performance representing room for improvement.
Resources Available to Hospice Providers
- Visit the Hospice Quality Public Reporting webpage for more information on Hospice Compare.
- Visit the HQRP Requirements and Best Practices webpage for more information on submitting data to CMS.
Help Desks
- For questions about the HQRP, including HIS reporting requirements, quality measure (QM) calculations and reporting deadlines, Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reports (CASPER) QM reports, Hospice Compare, and Provider Preview Reports, email HospiceQualityQuestions@cms.hhs.gov.
- For questions about Hospice CAHPS®, email hospicecahpssurvey@HCQIS.org or call 1-844-472-4621.
- For technical assistance, including questions related to the Hospice Abstraction Reporting Tool (HART) tool, QIES ASAP, error messages, or record rejections, email help@qtso.com.
- To submit a reconsideration request or to ask other questions related to reconsideration, email HospiceQRPReconsiderations@cms.hhs.gov.
- Subscribe to the Post-Acute Care Quality Reporting Program (PAC QRP) listserv for the latest Hospice Quality Reporting Program information including but not limited to training, stakeholder engagement opportunities, and general updates about reporting requirements, quality measures, and reporting deadlines.
Additional Compare Sites
- Dialysis Compare
- Home Health Compare
- Hospital Compare
- Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) Compare
- Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH) Compare
- Medicare Plan Finder
- Nursing Home Compare
- Physician Compare
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