2010-2011 Award Criteria

The Texas Health Care Quality Improvement Award (THCQI Award) will be based on a composite score, known as the Appropriate Care Measure (ACM). For acute care hospitals Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS), the ACM will consist of 27 indicators for the clinical topics of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure (HF), pneumonia (PNE) and the surgical care improvement project (SCIP). These 27 indicators are those that are required for submission under the Reporting Hospital Quality Data for Annual Payment Update in accordance with Section 501(b) of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003.

Critical Access Hospitals will have an ACM score based on 10 indicators for the clinical topics of heart failure and pneumonia.

Award determination will be made using an aggregated ACM score from 4th quarter 2010 through 3rd quarter 2011.

Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Acute Care Hospitals

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Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs)

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For the Gold Award, you must get a “better than national rate” on one of the following topics: AMI, HF or PNE for both measures (mortality and readmission). You cannot get a “worse than national rate” on any of the topics to be eligible for any of the awards (Gold, Silver or Bronze).

Example: If you receive a “better than national rate” on AMI and “no different than national rate “on HF and PNE for both the mortality and readmission measures, you meet that part of the criteria for the Gold Award. If you receive a “better than national rate” on AMI, a “no different than national rate “on PNE and a “worse than national rate” on HF, you are not eligible for any award.

IPPS Acute Care Hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals’ applicants are encouraged to submit a Process Improvement Plan (PIP) quarterly according to the data transmission deadlines established by QNet.

CAHs must sign the Hospital Quality Alliance Pledge to Participate agreement to publically report data for the HF and PNE measures. CAHs must also register for QNet Exchange. Please contact Sherri Gagner, Data Reporting Consultant, at 866-439-0863 or Trudy Carson at 866-439-5863 to request a QNet registration packet if you are a critical access hospital needing access to QNet.

Types of Awards for Hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals:

Gold and Silver Award: ACM score of 90 – 100% and have met all other requirements.

Bronze Award: ACM score of 80 – 89% and have met all other requirements.