Proposed CMS rule includes NHSN Antibiotic Use reporting, open for public comment

Proposed CMS rule includes antibiotic prescribing measure, open for public comment

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is inviting the public to comment on proposed rule changes related to hospital payment and quality reporting. One proposed rule is to include hospitals’ antibiotic prescribing data to the CMS Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR)Program. Hospitals would send their information to CMS through CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Antimicrobial Use module. They can then compare their antibiotic prescribing to national benchmarks and evaluate and improve antimicrobial prescribing as needed.  

NHSN is already used by hospitals, CDC, and CMS to gather and report progress on a number of other quality and safety measures. CMS is proposing the NHSN Antimicrobial Use measure to further advance national efforts combating antibiotic resistance. Evidence shows that programs dedicated to optimizing inpatient antibiotic prescribing, known asantimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs), can slow the emergence of antibiotic resistance and improve both appropriateness of antimicrobial use and patient outcomes.

By commenting on proposed rules, members of the public play an important role in the rulemaking process. Comments must be received no later than 5 p.m. EDT on June 17, 2016. 

• Proposed CMS rules open for public comment: https://federalregister.gov/a/2016-09120
• NHSN Antimicrobial Use Measure summary (NQF #2720):  http://www.qualityforum.org/Measures_Reports_Tools.aspx
• CDC’s NHSN Antimicrobial Use and Resistance (AUR) Module: http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/acute-care-hospital/aur/index.html
• CMS’s Hospital IQR Program: https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/HospitalQualityInits/HospitalRHQDAPU.html