eCQM 2v14, Depression Screening and Follow-up: Interpretation of what qualifies as an intervention for a follow-up plan

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    • Type: EC eCQMs - Eligible Clinicians
    • Resolution: Answered
    • Priority: Moderate
    • Component/s: None
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    • 4152976156
    • Commonspirit Health
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      Thank you for your inquiry regarding CMS0002v14 Preventive Care and Screening: Screening for Depression and Follow-Up Plan. You are correct that the follow-up plan can include activities beyond referrals and medications. The Guidance section of the measure specification provides examples such as “behavioral health evaluation, psychotherapy, pharmacological interventions, and other treatment options”.

      To answer your second question, follow-up plans do not need to be tied to a procedure. For instance, if the plan includes an order for antidepressant medication, then the medication is mapped to an RxNorm code, not a SNOMEDCT code. SNOMEDCT codes represent clinical concepts such as diagnoses, observations, and procedures. While the follow-up value sets consist solely of SNOMEDCT codes, these codes cover more than procedures. For example, the “Follow Up for Adult Depression” value set includes a code for exercise therapy.
      Show
      Thank you for your inquiry regarding CMS0002v14 Preventive Care and Screening: Screening for Depression and Follow-Up Plan. You are correct that the follow-up plan can include activities beyond referrals and medications. The Guidance section of the measure specification provides examples such as “behavioral health evaluation, psychotherapy, pharmacological interventions, and other treatment options”. To answer your second question, follow-up plans do not need to be tied to a procedure. For instance, if the plan includes an order for antidepressant medication, then the medication is mapped to an RxNorm code, not a SNOMEDCT code. SNOMEDCT codes represent clinical concepts such as diagnoses, observations, and procedures. While the follow-up value sets consist solely of SNOMEDCT codes, these codes cover more than procedures. For example, the “Follow Up for Adult Depression” value set includes a code for exercise therapy.
    • Not measure related
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    • CMS0002v14
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    • Not measure related
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      There are some discrepancies in the interpretation of the measurement specifications related to what constitutes a follow-up plan and what can be mapped into the QRDA files.

      1) Do we interpret the measurement specifications correctly that the follow up plan can include activities beyond referrals and medications (e.g., other interventions for treating depression such as follow up visit with the provider, exercise regimen, etc)?

      2) Must follow up plans be related to a procedure? (There is some confusion in our organization about whether or not a procedure is required for the follow up plan and SNOMED coding for it)
      Show
      There are some discrepancies in the interpretation of the measurement specifications related to what constitutes a follow-up plan and what can be mapped into the QRDA files. 1) Do we interpret the measurement specifications correctly that the follow up plan can include activities beyond referrals and medications (e.g., other interventions for treating depression such as follow up visit with the provider, exercise regimen, etc)? 2) Must follow up plans be related to a procedure? (There is some confusion in our organization about whether or not a procedure is required for the follow up plan and SNOMED coding for it)

      The measurement specifications for the Follow-up plan indicate:
      Follow-Up Plan - Documented follow-up for a positive depression screening must include one or more of the following:
      • Referral to a provider for additional evaluation and assessment to formulate a follow-up plan for a positive depression screen
      • Pharmacological interventions

      • Other interventions or follow-up for the diagnosis or treatment of depression
        
      Examples of a follow-up plan include but are not limited to:
      • Referral to a provider or program for further evaluation for depression, for example, referral to a psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse practitioner, psychologist, clinical social worker, mental health
      counselor, or other mental health service such as family or group therapy, support group, depression management program, or other service for treatment of depression
      • Other interventions designed to treat depression such as behavioral health evaluation,
      psychotherapy, pharmacological interventions, or additional treatment options

       
      We would like to understand that "other interventions or follow-up for the diagnosis or treatment of depression" can include activities beyond medication prescription and/or referrals and do not necessarily need to be a procedure. 
       
      Thank you.

            Assignee:
            AIR EC eCQM Team
            Reporter:
            Susan Merrill
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