What does ACI mean in MEDICAL

Advancing Care Information (ACI) is a component of the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). It replaces the Meaningful Use program and allows eligible clinicians to earn points in exchange for meeting requirements related to conducting health IT functions, such as electronic prescribing, collecting patient data, and reporting clinical quality measures.

Any clinician who meets certain criteria during the performance period may be eligible to participate in ACI. Eligible clinicians include physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, certified registered nurse anesthetists, clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse-midwives, or any other doctor designated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

In order to qualify for ACI incentives and avoid penalties under MIPS, eligible clinicians must obtain a minimum score on activities that demonstrate meaningful use of certified EHR technology such as electronic prescribing and patient data collection. Additionally they must report on at least six clinical quality measures related to their practice.

Eligible clinicians earn points through activities such as improving care coordination between providers or helping patients manage their illnesses with remote monitoring tools. The number of points awarded depends on the type of activity being performed and how successful it was. The more successful an activity is in terms of improving patient outcomes or reducing costs, the more points are earned. The maximum score available under ACI is 100 points.

Activities that qualify for points under ACI include e-prescribing Long term Care medications; Implementing virtual check-ins; Reporting both Clinical Quality Measures (CQMs); Engaging a patient’s family; Coordinating Care transitions; Certifying EHR technology; Using Patient Health Records portals; Participating in practicing Improvement Activities (IA); Referring patients to alternative care settings; Creating Shared decision making tools; Implementing Telehealth encounters; Participating in Public Health Reporting initiatives and responding quickly to requests from public health agencies.

Clinicians are required to submit progress reports on their activities every 90 days during the performance period. Reports can be submitted manually or electronically via a secure web portal provided by CMS. Once approved by CMS, these reports are used to determine an individual's score for that time period and any applicable incentives or penalties will be applied accordingly.

Yes - failing to meet requirements or submitting inaccurate progress reports can result in penalties being applied against eligible clinicians under MIPS regulations. Penalties can range from 1% - 5% depending on the severity of noncompliance.

To help healthcare providers achieve compliance with ACI guidelines CMS offers a variety of resources including educational materials such as videos and fact sheets as well as technical assistance through its secure web portal system which allows healthcare providers to submit progress reports electronically.

Yes – through its Electronic Health Record Incentive Program (EHRIP), CMS offers financial assistance to eligible medical professionals who want to implement a certified EHR system but cannot afford it outright.