The Promoting Interoperability (PI) category, formerly known as "Advancing Care Information," accounts for 25% of the MIPS Final Score in 2021 and is intended to promote patient engagement and electronic exchange of information using certified electronic health record technology (CEHRT).
For 2021, clinicians must use 2015 Edition CEHRT to submit data on a set of PI measures for a period of 90 continuous days or more.
Note that certain clinicians and groups may be exempt from the PI category, either automatically or through a hardship exception application. In these situations, CMS will re-weight the PI Category to 0% and transfer its weight (25%) to the Quality category, resulting in a higher Quality category weight of 65%.
The following clinicians and groups must apply for a PI hardship exception:
- Small practices
- Those using decertified EHR technology
- Those with insufficient internet connectivity
- Those facing extreme and uncontrollable circumstances
- Those lacking control over the availability of CEHRT
The following clinician types qualify for an automatic re-weighting of the PI category, meaning they do not have to apply for this exception:
- Hospital-based clinicians: clinicians who furnish 75% or more of their covered professional services in a hospital setting (i.e., off-campus outpatient hospital (POS 19), inpatient hospital (POS 21), on-campus outpatient hospital (POS 22), or emergency room (POS 23)
- Hospital-based groups: a group practice where more than 75% of the NPIs in the group meet the definition of hospital-based
- ASC-based clinicians: clinicians who furnish 75% or more of their covered professional services in a ASC (POS 24)
- ASC-based groups: all MIPS eligible clinicians associated with the practice are designated as ASC-based
Additional information about this category, including specific measures and requirements, is available on the QPP website. To learn more about the Promoting Interoperability Hardship Exception Application, click here.
Last updated: 6/17/2021