Newswise — BETHESDA, MD, June 1, 2017 – The GI Quality Improvement Consortium, Ltd. (GIQuIC) Registry has been approved as a Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR) for reporting to the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) for the 2017 reporting year.

“GIQuIC is pleased to announce the Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR) approval for the 2017 reporting year. Since 2014, CMS has offered the QCDR reporting mechanism for what was the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS). Now, with MIPS in 2017, GIQuIC, as an approved QCDR, will allow providers to report on measures that are meaningful to their specialty practice and will foster improvement in the quality of care provided to patients, while being in compliance with reporting requirements,” said Glenn M. Eisen, MD, MPH, FASGE, President of the GIQuIC Board of Directors.

Since 2010, GIQuIC has grown in value as a clinical benchmarking tool for gastroenterology practices, with over 4 million colonoscopy cases in January 2017 and growing. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved GIQuIC as a QCDR for the 2014, 2015 and 2016 PQRS reporting years, facilitating endoscopists’ documentation of compliance with quality measures. The QCDR reporting mechanism is a dynamic reporting option that allows providers to report on MIPS and non-MIPS measures that are meaningful to their specialty practice and foster improvement in the quality of care provided to patients. More than 600 GIQuIC participants elected to utilize the GIQuIC QCDR for their 2014 PQRS reporting; more than 1,100 participants did so for their 2015 PQRS reporting; and more than 1,300 did so for 2016 PQRS reporting.

GIQuIC hosted an informational webinar on January 20 on the role of QCDRs in fulfilling MIPS requirements, noting this was Part 1. To access the slide deck and recording from this webinar, visit giquic.gi.org/qpp.asp. Now that GIQuIC has officially been approved as a QCDR for the 2017 reporting year, the Part 2 webinar is being planned to provide the details surrounding the QCDR reporting option and how the GIQuIC Registry can help satisfy MIPS requirements for the 2017 reporting year.

For more information on the Medicare Quality Payment Program, visit:

About GIQuIC

The GI Quality Improvement Consortium, Ltd. (GIQuIC) is an educational and scientific 501(c)(3) organization established by gastroenterologists, physicians specializing in digestive disorders. GIQuIC is a joint initiative of the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE). GIQuIC has developed and utilized various measurements of the endoscopic techniques of practicing gastroenterologists, a process referred to as benchmarking. These measures reflect the best science and evidence base for the performance of endoscopic procedures. This national benchmarking project began by measuring data related to common endoscopic procedures employed by gastroenterologists. Endoscopy is a minimally invasive medical procedure that is used to assess the digestive system organs by inserting a tube orally into a patient's stomach or rectally into the patient’s colon. The physician founders of GIQuIC believe that the scientific measurement of the quality of endoscopic procedures will improve the quality of the medical care being given to patients throughout the United States and abroad, and ultimately will improve the quality of public health. For more information about the GIQuIC registry, visit giquic.gi.org.

About the American College of Gastroenterology

Founded in 1932, the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) is an organization with an international membership of more than 14,000 individuals from 85 countries. The College's vision is to be the pre-eminent professional organization that champions the evolving needs of clinicians in the delivery of high-quality, evidence-based and compassionate health care to gastroenterology patients. The mission of the College is to advance world-class care for patients with gastrointestinal disorders through excellence, innovation and advocacy in the areas of scientific investigation, education, prevention and treatment. gi.org. Follow ACG on Twitter @AmCollegeGastro.

About the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

Since its founding in 1941, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) has been dedicated to advancing patient care and digestive health by promoting excellence and innovation in gastrointestinal endoscopy. ASGE, with more than 15,000 members worldwide, promotes the highest standards for endoscopic training and practice, fosters endoscopic research, recognizes distinguished contributions to endoscopy, and is the foremost resource for endoscopic education. Visit www.asge.org and www.screen4coloncancer.org for more information and to find a qualified doctor in your area.