McKesson’s Practice Insights Designated as a 2024 Qualified Clinical Data Registry by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Christine Davis, president, Ontada

For the eighth consecutive year, McKesson has received approval from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to participate in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) as a Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR). The designation enables healthcare practices and providers utilizing iKnowMed℠ electronic health record (EHR) to efficiently submit data directly to CMS without engaging a separate registry vendor, streamlining data submission and minimizing administrative burden.

As a CMS-approved QCDR, Practice Insights℠, a performance analytics tool powered by Ontada®, can collect and report clinical data on behalf of clinicians for standard MIPS measures. This designation also provides the additional ability to report on custom QCDR quality measures developed in partnership with physicians in The US Oncology Network (The Network) to drive improvements in quality and cost of care.

In addition to quality measures, practices now have the opportunity to improve patient care by identifying social drivers of health via the integration of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Distress Thermometer in iKnowMed. In 2024, care teams can monitor patient needs through a comprehensive report dashboard and track screening rates based on the new MIPS 487 Screening for Social Drivers of Health measure. These efforts will help practices ensure all patients are screened and connected with community resources to assist them with health-related social needs.

“As the only oncology-specific QCDR, we empower practices to focus on what matters – improving patient care by equipping them with actionable insights and performance measures that can help to reduce administrative burden for their practices,” said Christine Davis, president, Ontada. “Our work continues to focus on innovation and technology advancements that can help practices improve cancer care and deliver better patient outcomes.”

A total of eight custom QCDR measures identified by physician leaders in The Network and submitted by McKesson were approved by CMS, including two measures approved for the 2024 Advancing Cancer Care MIPS Value Pathway (MVP) – Utilization of GCSF in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer and Mutation Testing for Stage IV Lung Cancer Completed Prior to the Start of Targeted Therapy. Practice Insights QCDR supports reporting of traditional MIPS and the new Advancing Cancer Care MVP, allowing practices to participate in the MIPS program a variety of different ways. It also continues to provide meaningful insights to improve care while simultaneously easing the burden of participating in CMS regulatory programs. Below are the eight Practice Insights QCDR measures approved for the 2024 MIPS program:

• Advance Care Planning in Metastatic Cancer Patients
• Hepatitis B Serology Testing and Prophylactic Treatment Prior to Receiving Anti-CD20 Targeting Drugs
• Patient-Reported Pain Improvement
• Supportive Care Drug Utilization in Last 14 Days of Life
• Mutation Testing for Stage IV Lung Cancer Completed Prior to the Start of Targeted Therapy (Included in the Advancing Cancer Care MVP)
• Utilization of GCSF in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (Included in the Advancing Cancer Care MVP)
• Antiemetic Therapy for Low- and Minimal-Emetic-Risk Antineoplastic Agents in the Infusion Center - Avoidance of Overuse (Developed by the American Society of Clinical Oncology and approved for the second year)
• Appropriate Antiemetic Therapy for High- and Moderate-Emetic-Risk Antineoplastic Agents in the Infusion Center (Developed by the American Society of Clinical Oncology and approved for the second year)

“As a result of our advocation for quality measures that are truly impactful to oncology care, we are proud that CMS announced in the Final Rule that two of our QCDR measures will be included in the Advancing Cancer Care MVP for the 2024 MIPS Program,” said Erin Crum, senior director of Quality Strategy and Innovation, McKesson and The US Oncology Network. “One of these measures aims to improve biomarker testing rates across non-small cell lung cancer and to ensure patients receive appropriate targeted therapy based on their test results. This is a critical area for cancer care where comprehensive biomarker panel testing rates continue to lag in comparison to the fast-paced innovation of targeted treatments. We aim to help practices close this gap by identifying patients eligible for testing and deliver targeted therapies to optimize their treatment, guaranteeing the best possible outcomes.”