Upcoming Emergency Care Access and Timeliness (ECAT) eCQM for the Hospital OQR Program

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is introducing the Emergency Care Access and Timeliness (ECAT) electronic clinical quality measure (eCQM) for the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR) Program. This measure will support the assessment of emergency department access, patient flow, and timeliness of care.

Implementation Timeline

• Voluntary reporting begins: January 1, 2027 (CY 2027 reporting period)
• Mandatory reporting begins: January 1, 2028 (CY 2028 reporting period, affecting CY 2030 payment determination)

Measure Transition

The ECAT eCQM will replace the following chart-abstracted measures:

• Median Time from Emergency Department (ED) Arrival to ED Departure for Discharged Patients
• Left Without Being Seen

Beginning January 1, 2028, these measures will no longer be required, as the ECAT eCQM will serve as the standard for assessing emergency department access and timeliness under the Hospital OQR Program.

Link to the 2027 OCR page