There has been much discussion about the interpretation of the Clinical Quality measures during a 90-day report period.
a) Is the “measurement period” equal to the “reporting period”? Are we measuring for a year but only reporting 90 days, or measuring and reporting for 90 days?
b) For patients to meet the population criteria for measure calculation (i.e., age and diagnosis, etc.) it requires continuous adjustment in the logic in order arrive at an accurate total that reflects “start after start of measurement period” in the logic of the measure. What is the expected approach to accurately calculate the population for measures such as 0018 given the 90 day reporting period. (See insert below.)

For instance, NQF 0018 (Controlling High Blood Pressure) has as initial patient population criteria

Initial Patient Population =
• AND: "Patient Characteristic Birthdate: birth date" >= 18 year(s) starts before start of "Measurement Period"
• AND: "Patient Characteristic Birthdate: birth date" <= 85 year(s) starts before start of "Measurement Period"
• AND:
o OR: "Diagnosis, Active: Essential Hypertension" <= 6 month(s) starts after start of "Measurement Period"
o OR: "Diagnosis, Active: Essential Hypertension" starts before start of "Measurement Period"