HEDIS Reporting: Transition to ECDS-Only Reporting Underway

Electronic Clinical Data Systems (ECDS) is a HEDIS® reporting standard for health plans collecting and submitting quality measures to the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).*

In addition to ECDS, there are three other standards for currently reporting HEDIS data:

  • Administrative – Data collected from office visits, hospitalizations, and pharmacy data.
  • Hybrid – Administrative data pulled from claims as well as patient medical records.
  • Survey – Information collected from member questionnaires.

The NCQA’s goal is to move most, if not all, HEDIS measures to ECDS by 2030. Currently, 16 HEDIS measures use ECDS. See the list below.

Changes Occurring This Year

For measurement year (MY) 2024, NCQA is transitioning the following measures from a hybrid standard to ECDS-only reporting:

  • Colorectal Cancer Screening
  • Follow-Up Care for Children Prescribed ADHD Medication
  • Metabolic Monitoring for Children and Adolescents on Antipsychotics

Last year, the Breast Cancer Screening transitioned to ECDS. For MY 2025, these three measurements are being considered for ECDS transition:

  • Childhood Immunization Status
  • Immunizations for Adolescents
  • Cervical Cancer Screening

How will ECDS affect the HEDIS process?

Instead of relying on a sample patient size, ECDS will allow for measurement of the total eligible HEDIS population. Also, with ECDS, data can be collected year-round rather than just 12 weeks for hybrid measures. Both of these enhancements will result in better and more accurate data.

What Impact Will ECDS Have on Providers

One benefit is that more time can be focused on patient care rather than retrieving medical records for practices subscribing to and submitting their Electronic Medical Record (EMR) data to local Health Information Exchanges (HIEs).

In addition, as more accurate patient data becomes available through ECDS, the management of preventive care strategies is expected to shift from a retrospective focus to a more prospective one.

Current HEDIS Measures Using the ECDS Reporting Standard:

  • Childhood Immunization Status (CIS-E)
  • Immunization for Adolescents (IMA-E)
  • Breast Cancer Screening (BCS-E)
  • Cervical Cancer Screening (CCS-E)
  • Colorectal Cancer Screening (COL-E)
  • Follow-Up Care for Children Prescribed ADHD Medication (ADD-E)
  • Depression Screening and Follow-Up for Adolescents and Adults (DSF-E)
  • Utilization of the PHQ-9 to Monitor Depression Symptoms for Adolescents and Adults (DSM-E)
  • Depression Remission or Response for Adolescents and Adults (DRR-E)
  • Unhealthy Alcohol Use Screening and Follow-Up (ASF-E)
  • Adult Immunization Status (AIS-E)
  • Prenatal Immunization Status (PRS-E)
  • Prenatal Depression Screening and Follow-up (PRD-E)
  • Postpartum Depression Screening and Follow-up (PDS-E)
  • Social Need Screening and Intervention (SNS-E)
  • Metabolic Monitoring for Children and Adolescents on Antipsychotics (APM-E)

For more information about ECDS, go here.

*HEDIS® — which stands for Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set — is a registered trademark of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA)


 

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