Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the Allscripts Clinical Quality Solution, Powered by TeamPraxis (Allscripts CQS)?
Answer: The Allscripts CQS, Powered by TeamPraxis is an innovative, dynamic software tool that automates participation in clinical quality data reporting initiatives while making aggregate result information available to physicians in real time.
2. Why do I need to sign up for Allscripts CQS now?
Answer: To collect and qualify for 2009 PQRI bonus dollars, Allscripts CQS will need to be installed and operational by January 2009. A limited number of early adopters are being accepted into the Allscripts CQS Early Adopter program now with an Expanded Roll Out Program planned for August 2008. Please contact your Allscripts Client Sales Executive for more information.
3. How does the Allscripts CQS work?
Answer: The Allscripts CQS is a true “no touch” system that extracts and compiles clinical information recorded in TouchWorks EHR, practice management systems and outside labs. Using flexible clinical algorithms, this system determines appropriate reporting codes and appends them to claims submitted electronically. The process is automatic and introduces only minimal delay.
In short, once physicians select which quality initiatives they wish to participate in, and which measures they wish to report, all they need to do is document relevant information within TouchWorks – the Allscripts CQS does the rest.
Beyond simply automating quality reporting initiatives, the Allscripts CQS goes a step further to use the documented information to accomplish the actual goal of these programs: to empower physicians in the patient care setting.
Through a “Physician Dashboard” display, physicians will be able to view their aggregate data in real time, with the ability to “drill down” to see the status of individual patients. Unlike quality reports that come after-the-fact, physicians can use this truly actionable information to immediately schedule follow-up appointments or labs for at-risk patients, empowering physicians to provide better proactive care. Most importantly, physicians can trust that this data is accurate, because it reflects exactly what they record in TouchWorks.
4. How does the Allscripts CQS’s ETL differ from the Analytics ETL?
Answer: Allscripts CQS is not an ETL offering. Allscripts CQS is a clinical quality offering versus an Analytics ETL alternative.
Allscripts CQS ETL was developed to support the CQS application, not to replace Analytics.
Allscripts CQS ETL is a very specialized component. Its functionality and capabilities are unique and has a limited audience that would be able to directly use it outside of the Analystics CQS.
5. What do I need to use the Allscripts CQS tool?
Answer: For healthcare providers to use the Allscripts CQS, they must be using TouchWorks Electronic Health Record, as well as a supported Practice Management (PM) system.
Currently, the Allscripts CQS is configured for the ConnxtMD and Misys PM solutions. By its national release in April 2008, the Allscripts CQS will also be integrated with TouchWorks PM. A planned expansion during the 2nd Quarter of 2008 will also include integration with IDX Flowcast and IDX Groupcast.
Because of the flexible, scalable nature of the Allscripts CQS tool, further expansion to integrate other practice management systems is possible.
The minimum recommended hardware needed for Allscripts CQS:
(Requirements for each Medical Group may be increased based on the installation’s anticipated amount of data and an individual hardware assessment by the Implementation Team is highly recommended prior to purchasing hardware.)
Minimum Hardware:
- Dual Core Processor
- 330 GB Hard Drive
- 4 GB RAM. 8 GB RAM is recommended.
This required software needed for Allscripts CQS:
- Operating System
- Windows 2003 Server (64-bit), Standard Edition, Service Pack 2 and support tools
- Database
- SQL Server 2005
6. What are the benefits of using the Allscripts CQS?
Answer: The Allscripts CQS provides significant financial benefits to practices, as well as benefits in the realm of patient care quality.
Financial benefits derive from the Allscripts CQS “no touch” reporting system, which automates participation in quality reporting programs. Not only does the Allscripts CQS save physicians and their staff a significant amount of time and effort by removing the burden of completing reporting program paperwork from their workload, but it also allows practices to participate in many initiatives that bring new revenue into their office with very little additional effort. The 2008 CMS PQRI, for example, offers successful participants a financial bonus of 1.5% of Medicare total allowed charges – a reward a physician could earn automatically through this tool.
Additionally, the Allscripts CQS leverages information physicians document within TouchWorks to provide real-time patient alerts at the point of care, (such as an overdue hemoglobin test for a diabetic patient), as well as automatic updates to individual Health Maintenance Plans when connected lab data is entered. Further, a “Physician Dashboard” display allows physicians to view their current aggregate and individual patient information in real time, giving them the opportunity to see which patients – at that moment – need immediate follow-up. This unprecedented access to valuable clinical information has the potential to transform a practice by empowering physicians to enhance preventative patient care and better manage chronic diseases.
7. Which quality reporting initiatives does the Allscripts CQS automate participation in?
Answer: The Allscripts CQS currently automates participation in the
CMS Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI), which offers a reward worth
1.5% of total Medicare Allowed Charges during the program’s reporting period.
By the end of the 2nd Quarter of this year, the Allscripts CQS will automate
participation in Medicare’s Hierarchical Condition Category (HCC), and by the
end of the 3rd Quarter, it will automate participation in
Because of the Allscripts CQS’ scalable, modular framework, the tool can be expanded to automate many other such programs and more initiatives will be added later. Each quality reporting initiative is treated as a different “Content Channel”. Analogous to a cable provider’s premium channels, Allscripts CQS Content Channels allows customers to pick and choose the programs and initiatives they want to participate in.
8. What are the benefits to participating in PQRI?
Answer: Please see our page devoted to PQRI automation here. You may also view our PQRI Frequently Asked Questions page for more information.
9. Does the Allscripts CQS create additional work for users?
Answer: In most cases, the Allscripts CQS creates little to no extra work for its users. The Allscripts CQS performs nearly all of the work of reporting, from determining which codes need to be added to which claims, to appending each claim before electronic submission. All that is required of healthcare professionals is to document the appropriate information within TouchWorks, which many physicians may already do. In some cases, though, this might require minor adjustments to office workflow, depending on the practice and quality measures.
10. What is the “Physician Dashboard”?
Answer: The “Physician Dashboard” is the Allscripts CQS’ tool to display a physician’s aggregate patient information in a useful way. The Dashboard allows physicians to see their current patient results, by measure, in easy-to-read, color coded bars. Physicians also have the ability to click through the aggregate display to see the status of individual patients and their result history.
The information displayed in the Physician Dashboard comes from the aggregate Clinical Data Warehouse, where the Allscripts CQS securely stores quality information extracted from TouchWorks EHR, practice management systems and outside labs. Data is refreshed nightly, so the Dashboard’s information is presented in real time, with only a one-day delay.
11. How has the Allscripts CQS been tested?
Answer: The Allscripts CQS was tested in a pilot program for the 2007 PQRI, which ran from July 1 through December 31, 2007. This pilot was a tremendous success as all pilot physicians reported at or near 100%, earning expected bonuses ranging from the hundreds to thousands of dollars, depending on their Medicare patient load.
Moreover, this pilot program allowed several physicians to improve their patient documentation within their EHR, and in some cases led to the recognition of workflow processes in need of improvement.
12. When will the Allscripts CQS be available nationally?
Answer: An expanded version of the Allscripts CQS is now available nationwide, with additional expansions planned for the 2nd and 3rd Quarters. For a complete road map of the product’s release, click here.
13. How long does it take to implement Allscripts CQS?
Answer: There are standard tasks for each CQS implementation but even with this standard task list, each implementation will have its own unique timeline that will be defined better during the requirements gathering task.
Standard tasks that make up an implementation:
- Gather Requirements
- Servers to be integrated with CQS
- List of Providers and Practices
- List of EDI Identifiers used for Medicare
- Delivery Approach for 837 files
- Location and movement of EDI files
- PM and TW EHR processing window
- Mapping of Lab Results
- Install and Configure CQS Server
- OS, tools and database installation
- Network access to PM and TW EHR applications
- Install and Configure Web Application
- Develop Scripts to move EDI files from/to locations that are unique to your installation
- Train Users
These are the implementation assumptions which may impact the implementation timeline:
- Customer will procure the hardware and software for the Allscripts CQS platform.
- Customer has expertise or access to expertise to provide prompt feedback during the requirements gathering.
- Installation’s Practice Management System produces a standard 837 file that can be intercepted, modified by Allscripts CQS to include the appropriate quality codes and then sent on to Medicare.
14. I have additional questions – whom can I contact for more information?
Answer: To request additional information, please contact your Allscripts Client Sales Executive.