Fact Sheets

Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH) Compare Website – New Measures Added

Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH) Compare Website – New Measures Added
This fact sheet contains information about the Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH) Compare website that was refreshed with new quality measures added on December 12, 2017.

I. Background 

Why is this information being released?

Section 3004(a) of the Affordable Care Act established the LTCH Quality Reporting Program (QRP) and requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish procedures for making quality data submitted by LTCHs available to the public. The Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014 (IMPACT Act) also requires public reporting of provider performance two years following the specified application date (the date data collection began). Historically, new items are added to the programs in the fall. This Compare refresh release contains data from over 400 LTCHs.

What new measures were added to LTCH Compare?

1. Percent of Residents or Patients Who Were Assessed and Appropriately Given the Seasonal Influenza Vaccination (NQF #0680)
   • Data Collection Period: July 1, 2015 – June 30, 2016 (displayed as October 1, 2015 – March 31, 2016)
     • Measure suppressed by CMS due to measure calculation error
2. Influenza Vaccination among Healthcare Personnel (NQF #0431)
   • Data Collection Period: July 1, 2015 – June 30, 2016 (displayed as October 1, 2015 – March 31, 2016)
3. National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Facility-wide Inpatient Hospital-onset Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Bacteremia Outcome Measure (NQF #1716)
   • Data Collection Period: January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2016
4. National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Facility-wide Inpatient Hospital-onset Clostridium difficile Infection (CDI) Outcome Measure (NQF #1717)
   • Data Collection Period: January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2016

 What measures are currently displayed on LTCH Compare?

1. Percent of Residents or Patients with Pressure Ulcers That Are New or Worsened (NQF # 0678)
   • Data Collection Period: January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2016
2. National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI)  Outcome Measure (NQF # 0138)
   • Data Collection Period: January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2016
3. National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI) Outcome Measure (NQF #0139)
   • Data Collection Period: January 1, 2016- December 31, 2016
4. All-Cause Unplanned Readmission Measure for 30 Days Post-Discharge From Long-Term Care Hospitals (NQF #2512)
5. Data Collection Period: January 1, 2014 – December 31, 2015

What is the source of this new publicly reported data?

• Data for NQF #0680 is based upon patient assessments and were collected and submitted to CMS by LTCH providers via the Long-Term Care Hospital Continuity Assessment Record & Evaluation (LTCH CARE) Data Set.
• Data for NQF #0431, #1716, and #1717 was collected and submitted to CMS by LTCH providers via the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN).

How is the data on the LTCH Compare site relevant to consumers? How will they use the site?

LTCH Compare takes quality measure data and puts them into a readily useful format for the public to get a snapshot of the quality of care provided by each hospital.

II. Summary of Findings for New Measures

*Reported as National Standardized Infection Ratio (SIR)
** NQF #0680 and NQF #0431 are calculated based on July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016 (displayed as October 1, 2015 – March 31, 2016)
*** Data for the NQF #0680 measure is suppressed for the December refresh due to errors in the measure calculations
The Standardized Infection Ratio (SIR) is the primary summary measure used by the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) to track healthcare associated infections (HAIs).

 II. Summary of Findings for Current Measures

*Reported as National Standardized Infection Ratio (SIR)
**NQF #2512 is calculated based on two years of data. In the chart above CY2015 = January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2014 and CY2016 = January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2015
The Standardized Infection Ratio (SIR) is the primary summary measure used by the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) to track healthcare associated infections (HAIs).

III. Resources Available to Providers

Where can I find more information about LTCH Compare?

• Visit the LTCH Quality Public Reporting webpage for more information on LTCH Compare.
• Visit the LTCH Quality Reporting Data Submission Deadlines webpage for more information on submitting LTCH data to CMS.
• For more information on SIRs, view the NHSN SIR Guide.

Help Desks

• For questions about the LTCH QRP payment reduction for failure to report required quality data, contact the CMS Reconsiderations and Exception and Extension helpdesk at LTCHQRPReconsiderations@cms.hhs.gov
• For general questions about data submission, including questions about the LTCH CARE Data Set, email LTCHQualityQuestions@cms.hhs.gov
• For questions about LTCH quality data submitted to CMS via CDC’s NHSN, or NHSN Registration, email NHSN@cdc.gov
• For questions about LTCH Public Reporting, email LTCH Public Reporting helpdesk: LTCHPRquestions@cms.hhs.gov
• Subscribe to the Post-Acute Care Quality Reporting Program (PAC QRP) listserv for the latest LTCH Quality Reporting Program information including but not limited to training, stakeholder engagement opportunities, and general updates about reporting requirements, quality measures, and reporting deadlines. 

IV. Additional Compare Sites

• Hospital Compare
• Physician Compare
• Nursing Home Compare
• Dialysis Compare
• Home Health Compare
• Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) Compare
• Hospice Compare

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