The Immunization measures were developed as a result of recommendations in 2006 from a National Quality Forum (NQF) Harmonization Workgroup that influenza and pneumococcal vaccination measures should apply to all patients regardless of diagnosis. In 2007 NQF and CMS sponsored the CMS Adult Immunization Task Force with a goal of developing influenza and pneumococcal measures that could cross care settings and would be applicable to all patients. Collaborative work then began between CMS and The Joint Commission to develop 2 hospital measures that could eventually replace the two diagnosis specific pneumonia measures (PN 2 Pneumococcal Vaccination and PN 7 Influenza Vaccination) with immunization measures that would address all hospitalized inpatients.
The result of this collaboration was the development of two measures, which will become effective for discharges on and after January 1, 2012:
- IMM-1a Pneumococcal Immunization (PPV23) – Overall rate
- IMM-1b Pneumococcal Immunization (PPV23) – Age 65 and Older
- IMM-1c Pneumococcal Immunization (PPV23) – High Risk Populations (Age 6 through 64 years)
- IMM-2 Influenza Immunization
The IMM measures can be found in the Specification Manual for National Hospital Inpatient Quality Measures. Submit your questions about IMM measure specifications to the Performance Measurement Network Q&A Forum.
Important Information