Data elements that meet criteria using this datatype should document completion of the assessment indicated by the QDM category and its corresponding value set.

Timing:

• relevant dateTime references timing for an assessment that occurs at a single point in time.
• relevant Period references a start and stop time for an assessment that occurs over a time interval
• author dateTime references the time the action was recorded.
• Refer to the eCQM expression to determine allowable timings to meet measure criterion.

Note: negation rationale indicates a one-time documentation of a reason an activity is not performed. Negation of QDM datatype-related actions for a reason always use the author dateTime attribute to reference timing and must not use relevantPeriod.

Data elements that meet criteria using this datatype should document completion of the assessment indicated by the QDM category and its corresponding value set.

Timing:

• relevant dateTime references timing for an assessment that occurs at a single point in time.
• relevant Period references a start and stop time for an assessment that occurs over a time interval
• author dateTime references the time the action was recorded.
• Refer to the eCQM expression to determine allowable timings to meet measure criterion.

Note: negation rationale indicates a one-time documentation of a reason an activity is not performed. Negation of QDM datatype-related actions for a reason always use the author dateTime attribute to reference timing and must not use relevantPeriod.

Coded diagnoses/problems addressed during the encounter. The diagnoses attribute has three components:

• diagnosis (code)
• presentOnAdmissionIndicator (code)
• rank (positive integer)

To reference an encounter diagnosis, the expression must include the diagnosis code component. The other components are optional. The expression should only include the presentOnAdmissionIndicator if it is necessary to reference present on admission and should only include the rank if it is necessary to reference principal diagnosis.

The "Encounter, Performed" diagnosis attribute is intended to capture ALL diagnoses, including the principal diagnosis, i.e., all diagnoses addressed during the encounter represented by the diagnosis (code) used in the expression.The presentOnAdmissionIndicator (code) allows the eCQM developer to include criteria about whether each specific "Encounter, Performed" diagnosis was present at the time of admission (an indicator used to evaluate patient safety and adverse events). See presentOnAdmissionIndicator attribute definition for information about using the "Encounter, Performed" diagnosis attribute.

The "Encounter, Performed" diagnosis (rank) replaces the principal diagnosis attribute. To reference a principal diagnosis, eCQM developers should express the "Encounter, Performed" diagnosis with a diagnosis (code) and a rank of 1. See definition of rank attribute.

With an "Encounter, Performed" diagnosis, there is no dependency on the timing of the diagnosis in relation to the encounter.

• Use of the "Encounter, Performed": diagnoses attribute component and the "Diagnosis" datatype is redundant for relating the diagnosis to the "Encounter, Performed". The "Encounter, Performed": diagnoses component syntax is preferred.
• Referencing the same diagnosis using "Encounter, Performed" (diagnoses attribute) and "Diagnosis" (datatype) should only occur if the measure must define a specified length of a prevalencePeriod, e.g.,
  • The measure must assure that the diagnoses
    • have been present for at least some defined time period before the encounter, and
    • were addressed during the "Encounter, Performed"

Coded diagnoses/problems addressed during the encounter. The diagnoses attribute has three components:

• diagnosis (code)
• presentOnAdmissionIndicator (code)
• rank (positive integer)

To reference an encounter diagnosis, the expression must include the diagnosis code component. The other components are optional. The expression should only include the presentOnAdmissionIndicator if it is necessary to reference present on admission and should only include the rank if it is necessary to reference principal diagnosis.

The "Encounter, Performed" diagnosis attribute is intended to capture ALL diagnoses, including the principal diagnosis, i.e., all diagnoses addressed during the encounter represented by the diagnosis (code) used in the expression.The presentOnAdmissionIndicator (code) allows the eCQM developer to include criteria about whether each specific "Encounter, Performed" diagnosis was present at the time of admission (an indicator used to evaluate patient safety and adverse events). See presentOnAdmissionIndicator attribute definition for information about using the "Encounter, Performed" diagnosis attribute.

The "Encounter, Performed" diagnosis (rank) replaces the principal diagnosis attribute. To reference a principal diagnosis, eCQM developers should express the "Encounter, Performed" diagnosis with a diagnosis (code) and a rank of 1. See definition of rank attribute.

With an "Encounter, Performed" diagnosis, there is no dependency on the timing of the diagnosis in relation to the encounter.

• Use of the "Encounter, Performed": diagnoses attribute component and the "Diagnosis" datatype is redundant for relating the diagnosis to the "Encounter, Performed". The "Encounter, Performed": diagnoses component syntax is preferred.
• Referencing the same diagnosis using "Encounter, Performed" (diagnoses attribute) and "Diagnosis" (datatype) should only occur if the measure must define a specified length of a prevalencePeriod, e.g.,
  • The measure must assure that the diagnoses
    • have been present for at least some defined time period before the encounter, and
    • were addressed during the "Encounter, Performed"

Data elements that meet criteria using this datatype should document that the encounter indicated by the QDM category and its corresponding value set is in progress or has been completed.

The "Encounter, Performed" participant references the primary participant.

Previous versions of QDM included an attribute principal diagnosis, defined as the condition that, after study, was determined to be the principal cause of the admission. QDM version 5.5 addresses that concept using the diagnosis rank=1.

A QDM Known Issue has been identified related to this datatype. To see this QDM known Issue, please click here. 

Timing:

• The relevantPeriod addresses:
  • startTime - The time the encounter began (admission time).
  • stopTime - The time the encounter ended (discharge time).
• author dateTime references the time the action was recorded.
• Refer to the eCQM expression to determine allowable timings to meet measure criteria.

Notes:

• negation rationale indicates a one-time documentation of a reason an activity is not performed. Negation of QDM datatype-related actions for a reason always use the author dateTime attribute to reference timing and must not use relevantPeriod.
• The locationPeriod is an attribute of the attribute facility location that addresses:
  • startTime - the time the patient arrived at the location. The time the encounter began (admission time).
  • stopTime - the time the patient departed from the location.

• "Encounter, Performed": Inpatient Admission, facility locations
  • ICU (locationPeriod)
  • Non-ICU Admission (locationPeriod)
  • Rehab (locationPeriod)

Data elements that meet criteria using this datatype should document that the patient has one or more of the ethnicities indicated by the QDM category and its corresponding value set.

Timing: Ethnicity does not have a specific timing. Measures using "Patient Characteristic, Ethnicity" should address the most recent entry in the clinical record.

Data elements that meet criteria using this datatype should document that the patient has one or more of the payers indicated by the QDM category and its corresponding value set.

Timing:

The relevantPeriod addresses:

• startTime – the first day of insurance coverage with the referenced payer.
• stopTime – the last day of insurance coverage with the referenced payer.

Data elements that meet criteria using this datatype should document the patient’s race.

Timing: Race does not have a specific timing. Measures using "Patient Characteristic, Race" should address the most recent entry in the clinical record.

Data elements that meet criteria using this datatype should document that the patient's sex matches the QDM category and its corresponding value set.

Timing: Birth (administrative) sex does not have a specific timing.

Data elements that meet criteria using this datatype should document the completion of the procedure indicated by the QDM category and its corresponding value set.

Two QDM Known Issues has been identified related to this datatype.

• To see the QDM Known Issue related to QDM Procedure, Performed completion time, please click here.
• To see the QDM Known Issue related to Differentiating Elective Vs Emergent or Urgent Procedures, please click here.

Timing:

• relevant dateTime references the time the procedure is performed when the procedure occurs at a single point in time.
• relevantPeriod references a start and stop time for a procedure that occurs over a time interval. relevantPeriod addresses:
  • startTime - The time the procedure begins.
  • stopTime - The time the procedure ends.
• author dateTime references the time the action was recorded.
• Refer to the eCQM expression to determine allowable timings to meet measure criterion.

Notes:

• Timing refers to a single instance of a procedure. If a measure seeks to evaluate multiple procedures over a period of time, the measure developer should use CQL logic to represent the query request.
• The incision dateTime is a single point in time available from the Operating Room and/or Anesthesia Record.
• negation rationale indicates a one-time documentation of a reason an activity is not performed. Negation of QDM datatype-related actions for a reason always use the author dateTime attribute to reference timing and must not use relevantPeriod.
• For clarification, see Appendix 6.6 with 2020 guidance about differentiating between successful and unsuccessful procedures.

Data elements that meet criteria using this datatype should document that the substance indicated by the QDM category and its corresponding value set was actually given to the patient.

Timing:

• relevant dateTime references the time the substance is administered if it was given or taken at a single point in time.
• relevantPeriod references a start and stop time for substance administration if the administration event occurred over a time interval.
• The relevantPeriod addresses:
  • startTime - when a single substance administration event starts (e.g., the initiation of an intravenous infusion).
  • stopTime - when a single substance administration event ends (e.g., the end time of the intravenous infusion).
• author dateTime references the time the substance administration was recorded and applies only when the record has no reference to the time the substance administration occurred and only the recorded time is available.

Data elements that meet criteria using this datatype should document that the substance indicated by the QDM category and its corresponding value set was actually given to the patient.

Timing:

• relevant dateTime references the time the substance is administered if it was given or taken at a single point in time.
• relevantPeriod references a start and stop time for substance administration if the administration event occurred over a time interval.
• The relevantPeriod addresses:
  • startTime - when a single substance administration event starts (e.g., the initiation of an intravenous infusion).
  • stopTime - when a single substance administration event ends (e.g., the end time of the intravenous infusion).
• author dateTime references the time the substance administration was recorded and applies only when the record has no reference to the time the substance administration occurred and only the recorded time is available.