Mar 14, 2019
Overview:
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provides critical quality assurance for our country’s healthcare system. The CMS Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (QIES) including the Assessment Submission and Processing (ASAP) system, Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reports (CASPER) and the Automated Survey Processing Environment (ASPEN) system collects and validates data on provider- and beneficiary-specific outcomes of care and performance. CMS uses the data from QIES to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of services paid under the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
The QIES, CASPER and ASPEN will undergo a series of modernizing, system enhancements resulting in what will now be called the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES) beginning in March 2019. The enhancements will make the system more reliable, scalable, secure, accessible, and Cloud-based. The iQIES system will not change how providers currently submit data to CMS.
The system enhancements that are provided by iQIES are a result of continuous, user research and testing to define user needs and validated designs. The incorporation of modern system design practices such as human-centered design and agile development practices, allows for a phased development and delivery approach. Beginning with Long Term Care Hospitals (LTCH), CMS plans to release several updates to the QIES-ASAP system for those providers supported by the current system. This development effort will introduce Cloud-based solutions allowing for better support and an improved interface.
System Enhancement Details:
- Users will no longer require a virtual private network (VPN) or CMSNet to access this system. iQIES is Internet-facing and maintains the latest system architecture and security standards.
- System enhancements will support a flexible and user-friendly data reports system for providers, allowing for greater ease in using real-time data for care planning and quality monitoring and improvement purposes.
- Users will be able to access important information for work anywhere, at any time, on mobile devices, laptops, and tablets due to built-in adaptability with increased accessibility.
Additional communications about iQIES program information such as onboarding, stakeholder engagement opportunities, training, and general updates are forthcoming.
Please contact our service desk at: iqies@cms.hhs.gov or by phone: 800-339-9313 with any questions.