Mastering MIPS in 2024: Finding Opportunities Amidst Challenges
Remember MIPS, the big ol' quality-improvement program for doctors and clinicians? The one with the confusing metrics and the potential for scary payment penalties? Well, get ready, because 2024 brings a twist: the performance threshold is staying put at 75%. Yup, same ol' bar.
Now, some might see this as a snoozefest – no dramatic score changes, no scrambling to hit a new target. But hold on, this stability holds both opportunities and potential pitfalls. Let's unpack them like juicy medical mysteries!
Holding the Line: The Good, the Bad, and the Quirky
The Good:
Predictability: You know exactly what you need to do to avoid that penalty sting. No more last-minute scrambles or guessing games. Each year you get a score of 0-100 for participating in the respective annual categories.
Quality: Worth 30 points it’s measured all year long and is the most controllable category of your performance.
Improvement Activities: Worth 15 points and they must be done for at least 90 consecutive days
Promoting Interoperability: Worth 25 points and has to be done for 180 days in 2024!
Cost: It’s worth 30 points and while there is nothing to report now that CMS is tracking it via claims on your behalf.
Focus on Improvement: With the bar unchanged, you can double down on refining your quality-boosting strategies, perfecting your systems, and getting even better at caring for your patients.
Breathing Room: No need to stress about a moving target. Use this time to learn the ropes, refine your reporting process, and get comfortable with the whole MIPS thing.
The Bad:
Stagnation? Some worry that without a new challenge, things might get… well, dull. No pressure, no diamonds, right? Remember MIPS is a process to be lived each day not a singular event!
Competition Concerns: Will everyone just coast at 75? Could it get harder to stand out and earn those sweet bonus payments? Of course, so get started early and check your performance each week!
MIPS Fatigue: Let's face it, MIPS can be a slog at times. Will this stability just make the whole thing feel even more tiresome?
The Quirky:
Strategic Opportunities: Think of it like chess. Knowing the board won't change, you can plan your moves, optimize your reporting, and potentially snag those bonus points with greater ease.
Innovation Encouragement: Without the pressure of a higher bar, you can experiment with new quality initiatives, explore different metrics, and maybe even discover some hidden gems in the MIPS world.
Collaboration Potential: This shared groundhog day could be the perfect time to team up with colleagues, share best practices, and level up your MIPS game together.
So, how can you make the most of this static situation?
MIPS Masterclass: Tips for a Penalty-Free 2024
Know your score: Check your 2023 performance and identify areas for improvement.
Choose wisely: Pick the right categories and activities to maximize your scoring potential.
Data savvy: Get comfortable with your data, track your progress, and use it to inform your strategies.
Teamwork makes the dream work: Collaborate with your team, share knowledge, and support each other.
Stay tuned: Keep an eye on updates and changes to the program, they're inevitable.
Patient focus: Remember, it's all about improving patient care. Let that be your guiding light.
Finally, don't despair, doctors and clinicians! This static MIPS year might just be the calm before the storm, a chance to refine your skills, strategize like a boss, and prepare for future challenges. Embrace the stability, use it to your advantage, and remember, you've got this!
Transforming MIPS into a collaborative journey – let's achieve excellence together, not face penalties alone.
With Chirpy Bird you can have a team member who functions like a fractional employee to focus on MIPS. Chirpy Bird will: train your team, advise of every rule change, help you be smart with your program time and efforts, submit all of your data and keep you audit-proof. Contact us to learn more.
