Define Numerator and Exclusions

The numerator statement describes the process, condition, event, or outcome that satisfies the measure’s focus or intent. The numerator statement includes parameters such as the:

  • Event or events that will satisfy the numerator inclusion criteria
  • Performance period or time interval in which the numerator event must occur, if it is different from that used for identifying the denominator

Format: Patients who received/had [measure focus] {during [time frame] if different than for target/initial population}

Examples 

  • Patients with documented spirometry results in the medical record (FEV1 and FEV1/FVC) (CMIT Family ID 00131) (CBE# 0091)
  • Patients with a suicide risk assessment completed during the visit in which a new diagnosis or recurrent episode was identified (CMIT Measure ID 30) (CBE #0104e)

Numerator Exclusion 

The measure developer should use numerator exclusions only in ratio and proportion measures to define elements excluded from the numerator data. 

Example

  • If the number of central line bloodstream infections per 1,000 catheter days were to exclude infections with a specific bacterium, the measure developer would list that bacterium as a numerator exclusion.
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