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Appropriate Testing for Pharyngitis

Compare Versions of: "Appropriate Testing for Pharyngitis"

The Compare function compares two years of the measure specifications found in the header of the measure's HTML. It does not include a comparison of any information in the body of the HTML, e.g., population criteria, Clinical Quality Language, or value sets.

Strikethrough text highlighted in red indicates information changed from the previous version. Text highlighted in green indicates information updated in the new eCQM version.

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Table Options
Measure Information 2025 Performance Period
Title Appropriate Testing for Pharyngitis
CMS eCQM ID CMS146v13
CBE ID* Not Applicable
MIPS Quality ID 066
Measure Steward National Committee for Quality Assurance
Description

The percentage of episodes for patients 3 years and older with a diagnosis of pharyngitis that resulted in an antibiotic order on or three days after the episode date and a group A streptococcus (strep) test in the seven-day period from three days prior to the episode date through three...

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Measure Scoring Proportion measure
Measure Type Process
Stratification

- 3-17 years

- 18-64 years

- 65 years and older

Risk Adjustment

None

Rationale

Group A streptococcal (GAS) bacterial infections and other infections that cause pharyngitis (which are most often viral) often produce the same signs and symptoms (Shulman et al., 2012). The American Academy of Pediatrics, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the...

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Clinical Recommendation Statement

Infectious Disease Society of America (Shulman et al., 2012)

The Infectious Diseases Society of America "recommends swabbing the throat and testing for GAS pharyngitis by rapid antigen detection test (RADT) and/or culture because the clinical features alone do not reliably discriminate...

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Improvement Notation

Higher score indicates better quality

Definition

None

Guidance

This is an episode of care measure that examines all eligible episodes for the patient. The intent is to determine whether antibiotics are being ordered appropriately. Antibiotics should only be ordered if a strep test has been performed to confirm a bacterial infection. Antibiotics...

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Initial Population

Outpatient, telephone, virtual encounter (i.e., e-visit or virtual check-in), or emergency department (ED) visits with a diagnosis of pharyngitis or tonsillitis from January 1 to December 28 of the measurement period and an antibiotic order on or three days after the episode date among...

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Denominator

Equals Initial Population

Denominator Exclusions

Exclude pharyngitis episodes when the patient had hospice care for any part of the measurement period.

Exclude pharyngitis episodes when the patient had a comorbid condition during the 12 months prior to or on the episode date.

Exclude pharyngitis episodes where the patient is taking...

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Numerator

A group A streptococcus test in the seven-day period from three days prior to the episode date through three days after the episode date

Numerator Exclusions

Not Applicable

Denominator Exceptions

None

Telehealth Eligible Yes
Next Version No Version Available
Previous Version

Header

  • Updated the eCQM version number.

    Measure Section:

    eCQM Version Number

    Source of Change:

    Annual Update

  • Changed all references from NQF to CBE to identify the consensus-based entity role.

    Measure Section:

    CBE Number

    Source of Change:

    Annual Update

  • Updated copyright.

    Measure Section:

    Copyright

    Source of Change:

    Annual Update

  • Removed language referencing the 'Observation' and 'Initial Hospital Observation Care' value sets as they were removed due to obsolete codes.

    Measure Section:

    Initial Population

    Source of Change:

    Measure Lead

  • Updated the language from 'online assessment' to 'virtual encounter' to reflect updated value set name.

    Measure Section:

    Initial Population

    Source of Change:

    Measure Lead

  • Updated grammar, wording, and/or formatting to improve readability and consistency.

    Measure Section:

    Multiple Sections

    Source of Change:

    Annual Update

Logic

  • Removed value sets 'Observation' and 'Initial Hospital Observation Care' from the definition 'Qualifying Encounters' due to obsolete codes.

    Measure Section:

    Definitions

    Source of Change:

    Measure Lead

  • Renamed value set to 'Payer Type' to more accurately reflect the contents and intent of the value set.

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    Definitions

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    Standards/Technical Update

  • Updated the value set name for 'Online Assessments' to 'Virtual Encounter' for a more accurate description.

    Measure Section:

    Definitions

    Source of Change:

    Measure Lead

  • Updated the version number of the Hospice Library to v6.0.000 and the library name from 'Hospice' to 'HospiceQDM.'

    Measure Section:

    Definitions

    Source of Change:

    Annual Update

  • Updated the version number of the Measure Authoring Tool (MAT) Global Common Functions Library to v8.0.000 and the library name from 'MATGlobalCommonFunctions' to 'MATGlobalCommonFunctionsQDM.'

    Measure Section:

    Definitions

    Source of Change:

    Annual Update

  • Updated the version number of the Measure Authoring Tool (MAT) Global Common Functions Library to v8.0.000 and the library name from 'MATGlobalCommonFunctions' to 'MATGlobalCommonFunctionsQDM.'

    Measure Section:

    Functions

    Source of Change:

    Annual 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 Antibiotic Medications for Pharyngitis (2.16.840.1.113883.3.464.1003.196.12.1001): Added 3 RxNorm codes (2630753, 2671687, 2671695) based on review by technical experts, SMEs, and/or public feedback. Deleted 3 RxNorm codes (757460, 757464, 757466) based on review by technical experts, SMEs, and/or public feedback.

    Measure Section:

    Terminology

    Source of Change:

    Measure Lead

  • Value set Competing Conditions for Respiratory Conditions (2.16.840.1.113883.3.464.1003.102.12.1017): Deleted 1 ICD-10-CM code (B60.0) based on review by technical experts, SMEs, and/or public feedback.

    Measure Section:

    Terminology

    Source of Change:

    Measure Lead

  • Value set Group A Streptococcus Test (2.16.840.1.113883.3.464.1003.198.12.1012): Added 1 LOINC code (101300-2) based on review by technical experts, SMEs, and/or public feedback.

    Measure Section:

    Terminology

    Source of Change:

    Measure Lead

  • Value set Home Healthcare Services (2.16.840.1.113883.3.464.1003.101.12.1016): Deleted 1 CPT code (99343) based on review by technical experts, SMEs, and/or public feedback.

    Measure Section:

    Terminology

    Source of Change:

    Measure Lead

  • Value set Hospice Care Ambulatory (2.16.840.1.113883.3.526.3.1584): Added 2 SNOMED CT codes (170935008, 170936009) based on review by technical experts, SMEs, and/or public feedback. Deleted 1 SNOMED CT code (385765002) based on review by technical experts, SMEs, and/or public feedback.

    Measure Section:

    Terminology

    Source of Change:

    Measure Lead

  • Removed value set Initial Hospital Observation Care (2.16.840.1.113883.3.464.1003.101.12.1002) based on review by technical experts, SMEs, and/or public feedback.

    Measure Section:

    Terminology

    Source of Change:

    Measure Lead

  • Removed value set Observation (2.16.840.1.113883.3.464.1003.101.12.1086) based on review by technical experts, SMEs, and/or public feedback.

    Measure Section:

    Terminology

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    Measure Lead

  • Value set Office Visit (2.16.840.1.113883.3.464.1003.101.12.1001): Deleted 2 SNOMED CT codes (30346009, 37894004) based on review by technical experts, SMEs, and/or public feedback. Deleted 1 CPT code (99201) based on review by technical experts, SMEs, and/or public feedback.

    Measure Section:

    Terminology

    Source of Change:

    Measure Lead

  • Value set Virtual Encounter (2.16.840.1.113883.3.464.1003.101.12.1089): Deleted 2 CPT codes (98969, 99444) based on review by technical experts, SMEs, and/or public feedback. Deleted 3 HCPCS codes (G2061, G2062, G2063) based on review by technical experts, SMEs, and/or public feedback.

    Measure Section:

    Terminology

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    Measure Lead

  • Value set Outpatient Consultation (2.16.840.1.113883.3.464.1003.101.12.1008): Deleted 1 CPT code (99241) based on review by technical experts, SMEs, and/or public feedback.

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    Terminology

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    Measure Lead

  • Value set (2.16.840.1.114222.4.11.3591): Renamed to Payer Type based on recommended value set naming conventions.

    Measure Section:

    Terminology

    Source of Change:

    Annual Update

  • Value set (2.16.840.1.113883.3.464.1003.101.12.1089): Renamed to Virtual Encounter based on recommended value set naming conventions.

    Measure Section:

    Terminology

    Source of Change:

    Annual Update

Last Updated: Aug 01, 2024