CTC Quality Improvement & Outcomes Measurement Flashcards

Which accreditation body offers specific telehealth accreditation standards that telehealth programs may pursue to demonstrate quality and compliance?

Answer: URAC

URAC (Utilization Review Accreditation Commission) offers telehealth accreditation programs that validate quality, patient safety, and operational standards for telehealth organizations.

What is the purpose of a 'balancing measure' in a telehealth quality improvement project?

Answer: To monitor for unintended negative consequences when improving one part of the system

Balancing measures detect unintended consequences of an improvement change—for example, reducing no-shows might inadvertently increase visit length if reminders prompt more questions.

A telehealth program wants to measure 'time to first available appointment' as a quality metric. This is best classified as which type of measure?

Answer: Access/process measure

Time to first available appointment is an access and process measure that reflects how efficiently the telehealth program's scheduling process facilitates timely patient access to care.

When evaluating return on investment (ROI) for a telehealth program, which cost category is unique to telehealth compared to in-person care?

Answer: Telehealth platform licensing and IT infrastructure costs

Technology platform licensing, broadband connectivity, and IT infrastructure are costs specific to telehealth that must be factored into ROI calculations alongside traditional healthcare expenses.

A telehealth coordinator identifies that patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are declining in a chronic disease management program. The BEST immediate next step is to:

Answer: Conduct a structured patient interview or survey to identify barriers and contributing factors

Declining PROs signal a problem requiring investigation; structured qualitative data collection from patients identifies root causes before implementing targeted interventions.

Under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), telehealth visits can contribute to quality reporting in which performance category?

Answer: Quality and Promoting Interoperability categories

Telehealth encounters can contribute to both the Quality category (through documented clinical quality measures) and the Promoting Interoperability category (through certified EHR use) in MIPS.