Arcadia Connection: Measure Definitions, Depression Measure Change, and Security Reminder

Arcadia Connection: Measure Definitions, Depression Measure Change, and Security Reminder

June 30th, 2021 | Network News•Arcadia Connections

The Arcadia Connection is a recurring feature in Network News that keeps you up to date with news about the Arcadia Analytics Dashboard and connects you with information about workflow improvements and best practices that improve measure performance. This issue of Arcadia Connection includes news about measure performance currently seen in Arcadia, a change in the depression quality measure, and an important security update.

Current Measure Definition Performance
We are pleased to announce that the 2021 thresholds and points are now visible within Arcadia. For the moment, performance continues to be calculated using 2020 measure definitions. They will be converted to 2021 definitions once AHP upgrades to the newest version of Arcadia. There should be no negative impacts to measure performance when transitioning to 2021 measure definitions. A notification will be sent when dates for the Arcadia upgrade have been confirmed.

Depression Measure Change

7/16/21 UPDATE: These new depression measures will be visible after the next Arcadia upgrade. No ETA is available at this time.

Since the inception of the Depression Screening/Follow-up measure we have been working together to have the screening information recorded in EMRs in such a way that improves performance for this measure. We have moved forward with data validation by working with you, Arcadia, and the various EMR vendors. During this time, it became evident that the measure was slightly confusing because the screening and follow-up requirements were contained within the same measure, making it difficult to determine why a patient isn’t satisfying the measure. By July 14th Arcadia will be showing two distinct HEDIS-defined depression measures:

1. Depression Screen: focused on identifying patients 12 and above and the percentage who were screened for clinical depression between January 1 and December 1 of the measurement year.
2. Depression Follow-up: focused on the patients who screened positive and the percentage who received follow-up on or before 30 days after the first positive screen.

This change will make it easier to understand performance during each phase of the mental health outreach.

For complete definitions of all 2021 measures please visit our 2021 Measures info on ahpnetwork.com.   The depression definition changes will be published when the measures have been updated.

Security Reminder
Please remember to not email unsecured patient PHI. If you need to send PHI to AHP and do not have a method for sending secure email, ask us to send you a secure email that you can use to respond with patient examples.