PHYSICIAN QUALITY REPORTING INITIATIVE (PQRI)

On December 20, 2006 President, George W. Bush, signed the Tax Relief and Healthcare Act of 2006 (TRHCA), which authorized the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to establish and implement a physician quality reporting system.

On July 1, 2007, CMS created the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI).

Significance of PQRI

Since 2007, PQRI has played an instrumental roll helping to transform the Medicare program from a passive payer into an active purchaser of high-quality care. Aside from the negligible 2% bonus for reporting on four measures annually, PQRI is a list of quality metrics upon which the performance of the practicing physician can be measured and rewarded.

PQRI - An Evolving List of Quality Metrics

In July of 2007, CMS released the PQRI measurement list with 74 quality measures. In 2008, CMS included an addition 57 quality measures bringing the total PQRI quality measures to 131. On December 16, 2008, CMS released the 2009 PQRI measure specifications containing 153 quality metrics which very probably will continue to change going forward.

2009 PQRI Measures