RCPA members are reminded to consider soliciting nominations for a Technical Expert Panel (TEP) that will provide input on two new quality measures in development for post-acute care providers (including inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, long-term care hospitals, and home health agencies).

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has contracted with RTI International and Abt Associates to develop and refine a cross-setting, post-acute care transfer of health information and care preferences quality measure as required by the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014. The two new quality measures include:

• Transfer of Information at Post-acute Care Admission, Start, or Resumption of Care from Other Providers/Settings; and
• Transfer of Information at Post-acute Care Discharge or End of Care to Other Providers/Settings.

In alignment with the CMS and National Quality Strategy objectives and goals, the purpose of this project is to develop, maintain, re-evaluate, and implement measures that will drive high quality in post-acute care through CMS’ quality reporting programs. This includes the inpatient rehabilitation facility, skilled nursing facility, long-term care hospital, and home health quality reporting programs.

CMS is seeking technical experts with expertise in care transitions and information transfer during transitions, admission and discharge planning, and care coordination, among other areas of knowledge. The call for technical expert panel members is open through August 21, 2016.