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Understanding the MIPS Complex Patient Bonus

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The MIPS Complex Patient Bonus awards up to 10 points based on medical complexity (HCC scores) and social risk (dual eligibility ratio).

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Optimize Your MIPS Cost Category Score

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The MIPS Cost category accounts for 30% of your score in 2024. Learn strategies to optimize performance across 29 cost measures.

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The True Cost of EHR Downtime for a Critical Access Hospital

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EHR downtime at a critical access hospital costs $100K-$230K per day in lost revenue, staff overtime, and operational disruption, with compounding patient safety and reputational consequences.

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Your CEO Just Asked About Your Ransomware Plan

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A practical ransomware readiness checklist and framework for small MEDITECH hospital IT directors facing tough questions from leadership.

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EHR Downtime Preparedness for Community and Critical Access Hospitals

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The downtime preparedness gap at community and critical access MEDITECH hospitals, and how to close it with right-sized solutions.

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2027 IPF PPS Final Rule

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CMS published proposed changes to the Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Quality Reporting program, including measure removals and a new patient assessment instrument.

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2027 IPPS Final Rule

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CMS published proposed changes to Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting and Medicare Promoting Interoperability programs for FY 2027.

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Understanding the MIPS Complex Patient Bonus

Blog

The MIPS Complex Patient Bonus awards up to 10 points based on medical complexity (HCC scores) and social risk (dual eligibility ratio).

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Optimize Your MIPS Cost Category Score

Blog

The MIPS Cost category accounts for 30% of your score in 2024. Learn strategies to optimize performance across 29 cost measures.

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Navigating Antimicrobial Use and Resistance Reporting

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AUR reporting becomes mandatory for CY 2024 Promoting Interoperability. This guide covers NHSN registration, MEDITECH build, and mapping.

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2024 QPP Final Rule

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CMS kept the MIPS threshold at 75 points, finalized five new cost measures, 16 MVPs, and expanded PI requirements in the 2024 QPP Final Rule.

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2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule

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CMS finalized six new MVPs, 190 quality measures, PI security changes, a new AI safety improvement activity, and eCR suppression for the 2026 QPP.

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2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule

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CMS proposed six new MVPs, 190 quality measures, a continued 75-point threshold, and PI changes including TEFCA bonus and eCR suppression for 2026.

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2024 OPPS Final Rule

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CMS finalized two new OQR measures and modified three, while notably retaining the Left Without Being Seen measure due to worsening LWBS rates.

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2026 OPPS Final Rule

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CMS finalized the Emergency Care Access eCQM replacing two ED measures, removed four measures, and extended voluntary CT radiation eCQM reporting.

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2026 IPF PPS Final Rule

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CMS finalized removing four IPFQR measures, extending the ED Visit measure to a 2-year period, and adjusting the ECE policy to 60 days.

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2026 IPPS Final Rule

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CMS finalized removing four measures, reinstating COVID-19 patients in outcome measures, and updating PI security and SAFER Guides requirements.

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2026 OPPS Proposed Rule

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CMS proposed the Emergency Care Access eCQM, removal of five measures including COVID-19 HCP and SDOH, and extended CT radiation voluntary reporting.

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2026 IPF PPS Proposed Rule

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CMS proposed removing four IPFQR measures, extending the ED Visit measure to a 2-year period, and solicited feedback on a future IPF star rating system.

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2026 IPPS Proposed Rule

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CMS proposed removing four measures including COVID-19 HCP and SDOH, modifying stroke and THA/TKA measures, and updating PI security requirements.

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2024 QPP Proposed Rule

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CMS proposed an 82-point threshold, five new MVPs, five new cost measures, and expanded PI requirements for the 2024 QPP.

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2024 IPPS Final Rule

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CMS finalized three new eCQMs, measure modifications and removals, and mandatory SAFER Guides attestation in the FY 2024 IPPS Final Rule.

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2024 IPF PPS Final Rule

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CMS finalized three health equity measures, a patient experience measure, two removals, and a voluntary validation pilot for the IPFQR Program.

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2024 OPPS Proposed Rule

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CMS proposed three new OQR measures including a patient-reported outcomes measure, modified three existing measures, and proposed removing LWBS.

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2024 IPPS Proposed Rule

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CMS proposed three new eCQMs, three measure modifications, three removals, and mandatory SAFER Guides attestation in the FY 2024 IPPS Proposed Rule.

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2024 IPF PPS Proposed Rule

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CMS proposed three health equity measures, a patient experience measure, two measure removals, and a validation pilot for the IPFQR Program.

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Palliative Care vs. Hospice Care

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Understanding the difference between palliative care and hospice care is essential for accurate quality reporting and eCQM denominator exclusions.

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New Requirements to Reduce Health Care Disparities

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Effective January 2023, Joint Commission accredited organizations must meet new requirements addressing health care disparities as a quality priority.

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2023 OPPS Final Rule

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CMS finalized OP-31 as voluntary, aligned chart-abstracted timing with calendar years, and added new validation targeting criteria.

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2023 QPP Final Rule

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CMS finalized five new MVPs, a 75-point threshold with no exceptional performance bonus, and PI changes including required PDMP query.

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SAFER Guides-Contingency Planning

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CMS now requires SAFER Guides attestation for Promoting Interoperability. Learn why EHR contingency planning is critical for patient safety.

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2022 Quality Reporting Requirements for Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities

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A comprehensive guide to CY 2022 IPFQR chart-abstracted measures, claims-based measures, and Joint Commission reporting requirements.

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2023 IPF PPS Final Rule

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CMS finalized a 2.5% IPF payment increase with no changes to the IPFQR Program and solicited feedback on health equity disparities.

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2023 IPPS Final Rule

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CMS finalized ten new IQR measures, expanded eCQM requirements, and restructured PI scoring in the FY 2023 IPPS Final Rule.

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2023 OPPS Proposed Rule

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CMS proposed keeping OP-31 voluntary, aligning chart-abstracted measure timing with calendar years, and new validation targeting criteria.

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2023 QPP Proposed Rule

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CMS proposed five new MVPs, a 75-point threshold, nine new quality measures, and PI changes including required PDMP query for the 2023 QPP.

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2023 IPPS Proposed Rule

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CMS proposed ten new IQR measures, increased eCQM requirements, and significant PI scoring changes in the FY 2023 IPPS Proposed Rule.

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Electronic Case Reporting

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Electronic Case Reporting automates real-time sharing of reportable condition data between EHR systems and public health agencies.

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Why Power BI is the Best Reporting Platform for DR - Part 2

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Part 2 explores how Power BI's cached data model and dynamic visualizations deliver a superior end-user analytics experience over SSRS.

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Why Power BI is the Best Reporting Platform for DR

Blog

Part 1 of a two-part series examining why Power BI outperforms SQL Server Reporting Services for MEDITECH Data Repository analytics.

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Data Models in Power BI

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Data models are foundational to Power BI report development. This article explores star schemas, rowset-based models, and snowflake schemas.

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Connecting to DR with Power BI

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Learn how to connect Power BI to MEDITECH Data Repository using Import and DirectQuery modes while building effective data models.

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Microsoft Power BI and DR

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Power BI brings modern analytics to MEDITECH Data Repository, connecting multiple data sources into interactive dashboards and reports.

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MUSE Views Podcast

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Acmeware President Joel Benware discusses the Empower platform, AI-driven analytics, and Downtime Defender on the MUSE Views podcast.

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External Links in MEDITECH

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External Links in MEDITECH let users launch web-based reports, Power BI dashboards, and intranet resources directly from application menus.

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Emergency Preparedness in Healthcare

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A structured six-phase approach to EHR downtime planning that keeps clinical data accessible and patient care safe during outages.

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Know Your Data

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Data Repository and SQL Server tools help you visualize MEDITECH data, build better NPR and RD reports, and train new analysts faster.

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The Importance of Data Governance

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Healthcare data governance establishes policies for data quality, security, and consistent use that support better clinical and strategic decisions.

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EHR Downtime Insights

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MEDITECH community survey data reveals that 32% of hospitals experienced 12+ hour downtimes, underscoring the need for robust preparedness.

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Data Repository System Tables

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MEDITECH's DR system tables map application data to SQL columns, helping report writers quickly find the right tables and fields.

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Nonclustered Indexes in Data Repository

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A practical guide to creating nonclustered indexes in Data Repository, including when they help, what to index, and advanced strategies.

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Working with Precision in T-SQL

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Understand the ROUND function, float vs. decimal data types, and truncation behavior to write accurate numeric calculations in T-SQL.

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The Importance of DR Maintenance

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Regular DR maintenance including transfer monitoring, error review, storage management, and index defragmentation prevents data accuracy issues.

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So You Want a Barcode

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Install free barcode fonts and apply them in SSRS or Power BI Report Builder to add scannable barcodes to any Data Repository report.

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Report and Data Validation

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A validation checklist for Data Repository reports covering data accuracy, source comparison, and file export verification.

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SQL Server User-Defined Functions II

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Table-valued functions centralize complex multi-table logic so teams can write standardized, maintainable DR code across the organization.

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Why SourceID is Important in DR

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Including SourceID in every DR join enables efficient Clustered Index Seeks instead of slow full-table scans on realistic queries.

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SQL Server User-Defined Functions

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User-defined functions in SQL Server let you create reusable logic for common calculations like patient age and clinical time intervals.

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Optimal DR tempdb Configuration

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Follow MEDITECH best practices to configure tempdb with dedicated storage, eight data files, and proper sizing for optimal DR performance.

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Using URLs in SQL Server Reporting Services - Part 2

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Use URL-based navigation to connect SSRS reports across different project folders by constructing parameterized links in T-SQL.

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Using URLs in SQL Server Reporting Services

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Use the Action property in SQL Server Reporting Services to build dynamic URL-based navigation from report data to external websites.

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Multi-value Parameters in SQL Server Reporting Services

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A step-by-step guide to implementing multi-value dropdown parameters in SSRS using a table-valued function and stored procedures.

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Primary Keys in Data Repository

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Primary keys define table uniqueness and parent-child relationships in DR, making them essential for correct and efficient SQL joins.

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Why Data Repository is Different

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Data Repository differs from typical SQL databases in collation, normalization, schema stability, and sheer complexity of healthcare data.

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When to Build a Data Mart

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Data marts improve report performance by separating complex, frequently-refreshed datasets from the live Data Repository.

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Management Studio Shortcuts

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Boost your SQL Server Management Studio productivity with custom query shortcuts, block select editing, and essential keyboard commands.

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Where's the Data?

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An introductory guide to how MEDITECH organizes clinical and financial data in the Data Repository for new report writers.

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Accessing Data Across SQL Servers

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Learn how to set up Linked Servers and handle collation differences to combine MEDITECH DR data with third-party SQL databases.

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Clean TSQL Formatting

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Clean T-SQL formatting improves readability, speeds debugging, boosts productivity, and enables more advanced report development.

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The Value of Validating eCQM Data

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Continuous eCQM data validation prevents submission errors, catches mapping issues early, and prepares your facility for CMS audits.

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The Importance of Mapping for Quality

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Incorrect MEDITECH data mapping can silently reduce your eCQM scores. Learn how to validate mapping annually to protect quality performance.

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The True Cost of EHR Downtime for a Critical Access Hospital

Blog

EHR downtime at a critical access hospital costs $100K-$230K per day in lost revenue, staff overtime, and operational disruption, with compounding patient safety and reputational consequences.

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Enterprise Downtime Solutions vs. Downtime Defender: The Right MEDITECH Downtime Solution for Your Hospital's Size

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A comparison of enterprise-scale MEDITECH downtime platforms versus Downtime Defender's right-sized approach for community and critical access hospitals.

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What MEDITECH Alliance Collaborator Status Means for Downtime Defender and Your Hospital

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Downtime Defender's acceptance into the MEDITECH Alliance program as a Collaborator signals ecosystem alignment and reduced evaluation risk for community hospitals evaluating downtime solutions.

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How Anderson Hospital Eliminated Downtime Stress with a Solution Built for Their Size

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How Anderson Hospital, a 154-bed community hospital on MEDITECH Expanse, found a downtime solution that matched their operational reality.

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Your CEO Just Asked About Your Ransomware Plan

Blog

A practical ransomware readiness checklist and framework for small MEDITECH hospital IT directors facing tough questions from leadership.

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EHR Downtime Preparedness for Community and Critical Access Hospitals

Blog

The downtime preparedness gap at community and critical access MEDITECH hospitals, and how to close it with right-sized solutions.

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