Your questions answered: CQL & the future of quality measures webinar Q&A

Details

This article summarizes the Q&A session from a webinar titled 'CQL and the Future of Quality Measures,' featuring experts from Firely and NCQA. Key discussions included the challenges of adopting FHIR and standard data models across Europe, where varying national systems and lack of common data structures were noted. The need for regulatory push, similar to US Meaningful Use, was highlighted. Technically, the relationship between CQL (Clinical Quality Language) and FHIR was detailed, noting that a MeasureReport FHIR resource can serve as an electronic format for eCQMs. Discussions also covered running CQL on existing EHR vendor data models or SQL engines, mentioning techniques like using ELM (Expression Logical Model) for conversion. Practical implementation guidance was provided, including tools for validating CQL syntax (like the Visual Studio Code plugin) and methods for loading dependencies onto a FHIR server. The future role of AI in generating and analyzing CQL was also discussed, emphasizing that consistency of results regardless of the underlying technology is crucial for quality programs.