Imalogix is highlighting a January 30 update regarding the patient safety Excessive Radiation (ExRad) Dose or Inadequate Image Quality for Diagnostic Computed Tomography in Adults electronic clinical quality measure (eCQM).
Guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) via the Electronic Clinical Quality Improvement Resource Center said hospitals and clinicians who choose to report the ExRad eCQM for the calendar year 2025 may use any vendor’s software that meets the necessary requirements to generate the standardized data elements required to calculate the measure, consistent with the measure’s specifications.
ExRad eCQM was developed to reduce unnecessary radiation exposure while maintaining diagnostic integrity. It requires certain radiology data that conforms to the measure’s specifications, according to the CMS. The CMS said it will monitor measure results to ensure that all reported data are reliable and valid.
“Hospitals and clinicians are not required to demonstrate to CMS that the software they or their vendors use can generate and transform the radiology data into the necessary format,” the CMS said. “However, nothing would prevent a hospital or clinician seeking assurance about the ability of specific software to perform these tasks from requesting that information from a vendor.”
The CMS measure is mandatory for outpatient settings starting in 2027, Imalogix said.