ACO Tools - "Sorry you don't have access to this functionality"

When accessing the Registry, you may see a message, "Sorry, you do not have access to this functionality." This happens because the default tab for the ACO Tools area is Managing Preferences and not all users have the credentials to access that feature. Select the Attributed Registries tab and you will see the Registry options.



DM - Diabetes Composite 

The questions about tobacco use is somewhat confusing. The purpose is to count the number of diabetic patients who are documented as tobacco non-users. If the patient is a non-smoker, then answer Yes to the Tobacco User question.


More About Tobacco Use -- What About E-Cigarettes?

In a  GPRO Support call, CMS had the following question:

"In relation to the measures that diabetes – non-tobacco use and Prevention – screening for tobacco use, how are we to answer these questions in relation to electronic

cigarettes?"

The answer: "The measure owner does not consider e-cigarettes tobacco use."

http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/PQRS/Downloads/ACO_and_GPRO_Support_Call_QA_01162014.pdf

So, for the purposes of reporting 2016, list e-cigarette users as Non-Tobacco Users.


Yes/No Questions Showing Blank

There are a number of questions in the Registry that have Yes/No as the answer options. In most cases, the prepopulated data will only show an answer when that answer is Yes. This is because we will only have evidence in the patient data to support a Yes answer; lack of data is not sufficient to confirm a No answer. This gives the practice an opportunity to review the patient data and select the appropriate answer.


For example, if a patient is ranked (required) for the Diabetes measure group the first question is: DM Confirmed? The answer options are:

  • Yes
  • Not Confirmed - Diagnosis
  • No - Other CMS Approved Reason


If the patient is found to qualify for the diabetes measures by having a diabetes diagnosis or a medication indicative of diabetes, then the answer will be set to Yes.

If no diagnosis or medication is found, then the answer will be left blank and the practice will need to determine the correct answer in this instance. Lack of evidence from the clinical data is not determined to be sufficient to select a No answer.


When there is evidence in the patient data that can support both a Yes and No answer, then the system will select the appropriate answer based on that evidence.

For example, in the PREV measure group, PREV - 9 has 3 questions: BMI Calculated?,  BMI Normal? and Follow-up Plan?

  • For BMI Calculated? the answer will only prepopulate when the answer is Yes.
  • For BMI Normal? the answer will prepopulate as Yes when the patient's most recent BMI falls within the normal range (per CMS) and will prepopulate as No when the patient's most recent BMI falls outside the normal range.
  • For Follow-up Plan? the answer will only prepopulate when the answer is Yes.