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Oncology: Medical and Radiation - Pain Intensity Quantified

Compare Versions of: "Oncology: Medical and Radiation - Pain Intensity Quantified"

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Table Options
Measure Information 2022 Performance Period 2023 Performance Period 2024 Performance Period 2025 Performance Period
Title Oncology: Medical and Radiation - Pain Intensity Quantified Oncology: Medical and Radiation - Pain Intensity Quantified Oncology: Medical and Radiation - Pain Intensity Quantified Oncology: Medical and Radiation - Pain Intensity Quantified
CMS eCQM ID CMS157v10 CMS157v11 CMS157v12 CMS157v13
CBE ID* 0384e 0384e 0384e 0384e
MIPS Quality ID 143 143 143 143
Measure Steward American Society of Clinical Oncology American Society of Clinical Oncology American Society of Clinical Oncology American Society of Clinical Oncology
Description

Percentage of patient visits, regardless of patient age, with a diagnosis of cancer currently receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy in which pain intensity is quantified

Percentage of patient visits, regardless of patient age, with a diagnosis of cancer currently receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy in which pain intensity is quantified

Percentage of patient visits, regardless of patient age, with a diagnosis of cancer currently receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy in which pain intensity is quantified

Percentage of patient visits, regardless of patient age, with a diagnosis of cancer currently receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy in which pain intensity is quantified

Measure Scoring Proportion measure Proportion measure Proportion measure Proportion measure
Measure Type Process Process Process Process
Stratification *See CMS157v10.html *See CMS157v11.html

None

None

Risk Adjustment *See CMS157v10.html *See CMS157v11.html

None

None

Rationale *See CMS157v10.html *See CMS157v11.html

An estimated 1,806,590 new cases of cancer were projected to be diagnosed in the US in 2020 (NIH, 2020). Pain is a commonly occurring symptom for cancer patients as 30% to 50% (510,000 to 850,000 each year based on current statistics) will experience moderate to severe pain (Wiffen, Wee, Derry, Bell, & Moore, 2017). Initial and ongoing pain assessments are essential to determine the pathophysiology of pain and ensure proper pain management. According to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN, 2022), undertreatment of pain remains a problem among a significant subset of cancer patients, survival is linked with symptom control and pain management, and pain management contributes to broad quality of life improvement. Furthermore, NCCN notes that formal pain reevaluation is required at each contact to ensure fulfilment of patient goals around comfort, function, and safety. Cancer patients have reported that pain interferes with their mood, work, relationships with other people, sleep and overall enjoyment of life (Moryl et al., 2018). To maximize patient outcomes, pain management is an essential part of oncologic management (NCCN, 2022).

A recent analysis of registry data for chronic pain cancer patients found average pain intensity reported as mild (24.6% of patients), moderate (41.5%), and severe (33.9%). The study also indicated that patient report of pain relief is inversely related to the average pain intensity reported (Moryl et al., 2018). These data suggest that assessing and managing a cancer patient’s pain is critical and there remains significant room for improvement in assessing and mitigating cancer-related pain. A prospective study of changes in pain severity of cancer patients found that, at initial assessment, 47% of patients reported pain. At follow-up, the patients with pain at initial assessment reported reduced pain (32.2%), stable pain (48.2%) and worse pain (19.6%). Of the 53% of patients reporting no pain at initial assessment, 82.6% reported stable pain and 17.4% reported worse pain at follow-up assessment (Zhao et al., 2014). This study highlights the importance of initial and ongoing assessments of pain to identify gaps and ensure proper pain management.

Pain is a commonly occurring symptom for cancer patients as 30% to 50% (510,000 to 850,000 each year based on current statistics) will experience moderate to severe pain (Wiffen, Wee, Derry, Bell, & Moore, 2017). Initial and ongoing pain assessments are essential to determine the pathophysiology of pain and ensure proper pain management. According to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN, 2023), undertreatment of pain remains a problem among a significant subset of cancer patients, survival is linked with symptom control and pain management, and pain management contributes to broad quality of life improvement. Furthermore, NCCN notes that formal pain reevaluation is required at each contact to ensure fulfilment of patient goals around comfort, function, and safety. Cancer patients have reported that pain interferes with their mood, work, relationships with other people, sleep and overall enjoyment of life (Moryl et al., 2018). To maximize patient outcomes, pain management is an essential part of oncologic management (NCCN, 2023).

A recent analysis of registry data for chronic pain cancer patients found average pain intensity reported as mild (24.6% of patients), moderate (41.5%), and severe (33.9%). The study also indicated that patient report of pain relief is inversely related to the average pain intensity reported (Moryl et al., 2018). These data suggest that assessing and managing a cancer patient’s pain is critical and there remains significant room for improvement in assessing and mitigating cancer-related pain. A prospective study of changes in pain severity of cancer patients found that, at initial assessment, 47% of patients reported pain. At follow-up, the patients with pain at initial assessment reported reduced pain (32.2%), stable pain (48.2%) and worse pain (19.6%). Of the 53% of patients reporting no pain at initial assessment, 82.6% reported stable pain and 17.4% reported worse pain at follow-up assessment (Zhao et al., 2014). This study highlights the importance of initial and ongoing assessments of pain to identify gaps and ensure proper pain management.

Clinical Recommendation Statement *See CMS157v10.html *See CMS157v11.html

-Screen all patients for pain at each contact.

-Routinely quantify and document pain intensity and quality as characterized by the patient (whenever possible). Include patient reporting of breakthrough pain, treatments used and their impact on pain, satisfaction with pain relief, pain interference, provider assessment of impact on function, and any special issues for the patient relevant to pain treatment. If necessary, get additional information from caregiver regarding pain and impact on function.

-Perform comprehensive pain assessment if new or worsening pain is present and regularly for persisting pain.

Various methods and tools exist to assess pain severity. Intensity of pain should be quantified using a numerical rating scale (i.e., 0-10), visual analog scale, categorical scale, or pictorial scale (e.g., The Faces Pain Rating Scale) (Category 2A) (National Comprehensive Cancer Network, 2022).

-Screen all patients for pain at each contact.

-Routinely quantify and document pain intensity and quality as characterized by the patient (whenever possible). Include patient reporting of breakthrough pain, treatments used and their impact on pain, satisfaction with pain relief, pain interference, provider assessment of impact on function, and any special issues for the patient relevant to pain treatment. If necessary, get additional information from caregiver regarding pain and impact on function.

-Perform comprehensive pain assessment if new or worsening pain is present and regularly for persisting pain.

Various methods and tools exist to assess pain severity. Intensity of pain should be quantified using a numerical rating scale (i.e., 0-10), visual analog scale, categorical scale, or pictorial scale (e.g., The Faces Pain Rating Scale) (Category 2A) (National Comprehensive Cancer Network, 2023).

Improvement Notation

Higher score indicates better quality

Higher score indicates better quality

Higher score indicates better quality

Higher score indicates better quality

Definition *See CMS157v10.html *See CMS157v11.html

None

None

Guidance

This eCQM is an episode-based measure. An episode is defined as each eligible encounter for patients with a diagnosis of cancer who are also currently receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy during the measurement period.

For patients receiving radiation therapy, pain intensity should be quantified at each radiation treatment management encounter where the patient and physician have a face-to-face or telehealth interaction. Due to the nature of some applicable coding related to radiation therapy (e.g., delivered in multiple fractions), the billing date for certain codes may or may not be the same as the face-to-face or telehealth encounter date. In this instance, for the reporting purposes of this measure, the billing date should be used to pull the appropriate patients into the initial population. It is expected, though, that the numerator criteria would be performed at the time of the actual face-to-face or telehealth encounter during the series of treatments. A lookback (retrospective) period of 7 days, including the billing date, may be used to identify the actual face-to-face or telehealth encounter, which is required to assess the numerator. Therefore, pain intensity should be quantified during the face-to-face or telehealth encounter occurring on the actual billing date or within the 6 days prior to the billing date.

For patients receiving chemotherapy, pain intensity should be quantified at each face-to-face or telehealth encounter with the physician while the patient is currently receiving chemotherapy. For purposes of identifying eligible encounters, patients "currently receiving chemotherapy" refers to patients administered chemotherapy on the same day as the encounter or during the 30 days before the date of the encounter AND during the 30 days after the date of the encounter.

Pain intensity should be quantified using a standard instrument, such as a 0-10 numerical rating scale, visual analog scale, a categorical scale, or pictorial scale. Examples include the Faces Pain Rating Scale and the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI).

This version of the eCQM uses QDM version 5.5. Please refer to the eCQI resource center for more information on the QDM.

This eCQM is an episode-based measure. An episode is defined as each eligible encounter for patients with a diagnosis of cancer who are also currently receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy during the measurement period.

For patients receiving radiation therapy, pain intensity should be quantified at each radiation treatment management encounter where the patient and physician have a face-to-face or telehealth interaction. Due to the nature of some applicable coding related to radiation therapy (e.g., delivered in multiple fractions), the billing date for certain codes may or may not be the same as the face-to-face or telehealth encounter date. In this instance, for the reporting purposes of this measure, the billing date should be used to pull the appropriate patients into the initial population. It is expected, though, that the numerator criteria would be performed at the time of the actual face-to-face or telehealth encounter during the series of treatments. A lookback (retrospective) period of 7 days, including the billing date, may be used to identify the actual face-to-face or telehealth encounter, which is required to assess the numerator. Therefore, pain intensity should be quantified during the face-to-face or telehealth encounter occurring on the actual billing date or within the 6 days prior to the billing date.

For patients receiving chemotherapy, pain intensity should be quantified at each face-to-face or telehealth encounter with the physician while the patient is currently receiving chemotherapy. For purposes of identifying eligible encounters, patients "currently receiving chemotherapy" refers to patients administered chemotherapy on the same day as the encounter or during the 30 days before the date of the encounter AND during the 30 days after the date of the encounter.

Pain intensity should be quantified using a standard instrument, such as a 0-10 numerical rating scale, visual analog scale, a categorical scale, or pictorial scale. Examples include the Faces Pain Rating Scale and the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI).

This version of the eCQM uses QDM version 5.6. Please refer to the QDM page for more information on the QDM.

This eCQM is an episode-based measure. An episode is defined as each eligible encounter for patients with a diagnosis of cancer who are also currently receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy during the measurement period.

For patients receiving radiation therapy, pain intensity should be quantified at each radiation treatment management encounter where the patient and physician have a face-to-face or telehealth interaction. Due to the nature of some applicable coding related to radiation therapy (e.g., delivered in multiple fractions), the billing date for certain codes may or may not be the same as the face-to-face or telehealth encounter date. In this instance, for the reporting purposes of this measure, the billing date should be used to pull the appropriate patients into the initial population. It is expected, though, that the numerator criteria would be performed at the time of the actual face-to-face or telehealth encounter during the series of treatments. A lookback (retrospective) period of 7 days, including the billing date, may be used to identify the actual face-to-face or telehealth encounter, which is required to assess the numerator. Therefore, pain intensity should be quantified during the face-to-face or telehealth encounter occurring on the actual billing date or within the 6 days prior to the billing date.

For patients receiving chemotherapy, pain intensity should be quantified at each face-to-face or telehealth encounter with the physician while the patient is currently receiving chemotherapy. For purposes of identifying eligible encounters, patients "currently receiving chemotherapy" refers to patients administered chemotherapy on the same day as the encounter or during the 30 days before the date of the encounter AND during the 30 days after the date of the encounter.

Pain intensity should be quantified using a standard instrument, such as a 0-10 numerical rating scale, visual analog scale, a categorical scale, or pictorial scale. Examples include the Faces Pain Rating Scale and the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI).

This version of the eCQM uses QDM version 5.6. Please refer to the QDM page for more information on the QDM.

This eCQM is an episode-based measure. An episode is defined as each eligible encounter for patients with a diagnosis of cancer who are also currently receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy during the measurement period.

For patients receiving radiation therapy, pain intensity should be quantified at each radiation treatment management encounter where the patient and physician have a face-to-face or telehealth interaction. Due to the nature of some applicable coding related to radiation therapy (e.g., delivered in multiple fractions), the billing date for certain codes may or may not be the same as the face-to-face or telehealth encounter date. In this instance, for the reporting purposes of this measure, the billing date should be used to pull the appropriate patients into the initial population. It is expected, though, that the numerator criteria would be performed at the time of the actual face-to-face or telehealth encounter during the series of treatments. A lookback (retrospective) period of 7 days, including the billing date, may be used to identify the actual face-to-face or telehealth encounter, which is required to assess the numerator. Therefore, pain intensity should be quantified during the face-to-face or telehealth encounter occurring on the actual billing date or within the 6 days prior to the billing date.

For patients receiving chemotherapy, pain intensity should be quantified at each face-to-face or telehealth encounter with the physician while the patient is currently receiving chemotherapy. For purposes of identifying eligible encounters, patients "currently receiving chemotherapy" refers to patients administered chemotherapy on the same day as the encounter or during the 30 days before the date of the encounter AND during the 30 days after the date of the encounter.

Pain intensity should be quantified using a standard instrument, such as a 0-10 numerical rating scale, visual analog scale, a categorical scale, or pictorial scale. Examples include the Faces Pain Rating Scale and the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI).

This version of the eCQM uses QDM version 5.6. Please refer to the QDM page for more information on the QDM.

Initial Population

All patient visits, regardless of patient age, with a diagnosis of cancer currently receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy

All patient visits, regardless of patient age, with a diagnosis of cancer currently receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy

All patient visits, regardless of patient age, with a diagnosis of cancer currently receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy

Population 1: All patient visits, regardless of patient age, with a diagnosis of cancer currently receiving chemotherapy

Population 2: All patient visits, regardless of patient age, with a diagnosis of cancer currently receiving radiation therapy

Denominator

Equals Initial Population

Equals Initial Population

Equals Initial Population

Equals Initial Population

Denominator Exclusions

None

None

None

None

Numerator

Patient visits in which pain intensity is quantified

Patient visits in which pain intensity is quantified

Patient visits in which pain intensity is quantified

Patient visits in which pain intensity is quantified

Numerator Exclusions

Not Applicable

Not Applicable

Not Applicable

Not Applicable

Denominator Exceptions

None

None

None

None

Telehealth Eligible Yes Yes Yes Yes
Next Version No Version Available
Previous Version No Version Available

Header

  • Updated the eCQM version number.

    Measure Section: eCQM Version Number

    Source of Change: Annual Update

  • Updated Measure Steward.

    Measure Section: Measure Steward

    Source of Change: Measure Lead

  • Updated Measure Developer.

    Measure Section: Measure Developer

    Source of Change: Measure Lead

  • Updated copyright.

    Measure Section: Copyright

    Source of Change: Annual Update

  • Updated disclaimer.

    Measure Section: Disclaimer

    Source of Change: Annual Update

  • Updated the rationale to align with current guideline.

    Measure Section: Rationale

    Source of Change: Measure Lead

  • Updated clinical recommendation statement to reflect updated guideline.

    Measure Section: Clinical Recommendation Statement

    Source of Change: Measure Lead

  • Updated references.

    Measure Section: Reference

    Source of Change: Measure Lead

  • ​Updated guidance statement for 'patients receiving chemotherapy' to better align with logic and measure intent.

    Measure Section: Guidance

    Source of Change: Annual Update

  • Added clarifying language to guidance section of episode-based measures to define the episode.

    Measure Section: Guidance

    Source of Change: Measure Lead

  • Adding 'or telehealth' to the header guidance for clarification.

    Measure Section: Guidance

    Source of Change: Measure Lead

Logic

  • Adding 'or telehealth' to CQL definition names and aliases for clarification.

    Measure Section: Multiple Sections

    Source of Change: Measure Lead

  • Added new NormalizeInterval function to timing attributes to decrease implementation burden due to variable use of timing attributes for select QDM data types. The NormalizeInterval function was applied, where applicable, for the following data elements: Assessment, Performed; Device, Applied; Diagnostic Study, Performed; Intervention, Performed; Laboratory Test, Performed; Medication, Administered; Medication, Dispensed; Physical Exam, Performed; Procedure, Performed; Substance, Administered.

    Measure Section: Multiple Sections

    Source of Change: Standards Update

  • Updated the version number of the Measure Authoring Tool (MAT) Global Common Functions Library (MATGlobalCommonFunctions-6.2.000). Updated the 'Inpatient Encounter' definition to include a 'day of' timing clarification. Added the following timing functions: Normalize Interval, Has Start, Has End, Latest, Latest Of, Earliest, and Earliest Of. Please see individual measure details for application of specific timing functions.

    Measure Section: Multiple Sections

    Source of Change: Standards Update

Value Set

The VSAC is the source of truth for the value set content, please visit the VSAC for downloads of current value sets.

  • Value set Chemotherapy Administration (2.16.840.1.113883.3.526.3.1027): Deleted 1 SNOMED CT code (24977001) based on review by technical experts, SMEs, and/or public feedback.

    Measure Section: Terminology

    Source of Change: Measure Lead

  • Value set Cancer (2.16.840.1.113883.3.526.3.1010): Added 3 ICD-10-CM codes (D47.01, D47.02, D47.09), Deleted 5 ICD-10-CM codes (Q85.00, Q85.01, Q85.02, Q85.03, Q85.09), Added 7 SNOMED CT codes (397012002, 404171008, 414653009, 716655008, 788674000, 827162007, 840573001), Deleted 7 SNOMED CT codes (254854001, 233717003, 237865009, 403815003, 403816002, 403817006, 92824003) based on review by technical experts, SMEs, and/or public feedback.

    Measure Section: Terminology

    Source of Change: Measure Lead

Last Updated: Jun 03, 2024