MMS Overview

Primary Goals of MMS

  • Provide support and guidance to measure developers to help them produce high-caliber health care quality measures
  • Educate and inform interested parties to promote involvement in and awareness of the Measure Lifecycle

How Does the MMS Accomplish These Goals?

MMS consists of several functions that work together to achieve these goals. Each of the functions includes tools and resources available to developers and interested parties.

Measure Developer Support

Measure Developer Support ensures measure developers have access to education and information providing guidance and best practices in developing quality measures. This includes the CMS MMS Hub where measure developers can find information about the different stages of the Measure Lifecycle and accompanying tools and resources.

CMS Measures Inventory Maintenance

CMS Measures Inventory Maintenance maintains CMIT (CMS Measures Inventory Tool), which is a repository of information about CMS measures. CMS uses the Inventory to inform interested parties, manage the CMS measure portfolio, and guide measure development. CMIT allows users to find measures quickly; compile and refine sets of related measures; identify measures across the continuum of care; and coordinate measurement efforts across conditions, settings, and populations.

Information Gathering

Information Gathering provides several tools, processes, and programs to help measure developers and those interested in quality gather information to help support measure development, maintenance, and other quality-related activities. These include the ESST (Environmental Scan Support Tool) that provides information on measures published in the medical literature through environmental scans. The De Novo Measure Scan (DNMS) helps measure developers conduct early and frequent environmental scans while developing new measures and reduces the time required to conduct information gathering. The DNMS is an advanced feature of the ESST available for authenticated users who have logged into CMIT. When you login to CMIT and navigate to the DNMS, you will have access to a QuickStart and a tutorial video.

Interested Party Engagement

Interested Party Engagement involves outreach to educate and inform anyone interested in measure development. This includes the development and presentation of webinars on related topics, outreach to potential participants in technical expert panels (TEPs) and public comments, the maintenance of the MMS Hub, and the MMS Support Help Desk that answers questions regarding measure development and maintenance. The MMS Support Help Desk can help with

  • Web posting requests for a public comment, TEP, or call for measures
  • Requests to publish announcements on the MMS Hub homepage and through the MMS email list
  • Account requests for MMS software tools including: CMIT, CMS Measures Under Consideration (MUC) Entry/Review Information Tool (CMS MERIT), and MIDS Library (for MIDS contractors only).
  • General measure development and maintenance questions
  • Feedback or questions about this MMS Hub
Program Support

Program Support helps measure developers navigate the Pre-rulemaking process, including CMS Measures Under Consideration Entry / Review Information Tool (CMS MERIT), and supports CMS programs in coordination efforts. 

 

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