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Learning Collaborative
 
September 18th, 2024
 
 
The Dish
The Dish provides a quarterly update to stakeholders who are subscribed to receive updates about the MQii Learning Collaborative.
 
 

At a Glance

  • Catch up on MQii’s virtual August Office Hours by watching the recording
  • Keep a lookout for future MQii office hours, to be shared via email and on the website in the coming weeks
  • Get involved with ASPEN’s Malnutrition Awareness Week
  • GMCS expansion to 18+ population finalized for inclusion in Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) program
  • GMCS endorsed by the Partnership for Quality Measurement
  • New clinical nutrition manager (CNM) Global Malnutrition Composite Score (GMCS) matrix tool now available to support CNM involvement in GMCS implementation
  • Review the updated MQii toolkit to support malnutrition care quality improvement
  • Share your progress or reach out with any questions to the MQii mailbox
  • Please also inform us of requested topics for future events or events of interest to share with other members
 
 
 
 
 
SPOTLIGHT: AUGUST OFFICE HOURS RECORDING AVAILABLE

On August 28, MQii hosted a Virtual Office Hour session for our subscribers. The session topics included highlighting hospitals who are making improvements in their malnutrition care workflow, discussing the upcoming GMCS reporting cycle and future measure changes, and addressing member questions. Thank you to all those who participated! For those who were unable to join live or who would like to revisit the session, the recording is now available on the MQii website.
 
 
 
 
 

WHAT'S AROUND THE CORNER?

Office Hours: MQii November Office Hours | Date and Time to Be Shared Soon

Join us for a conversation focused on the technical aspects of capturing data in your electronic health record (EHR) for quality improvement and reporting purposes. Hear from experts on best practices for working with your hospital’s IT department and optimizing your EHR to capture malnutrition care data. A registration email and announcement will be shared once the date and time are finalized. You will also be able to find these details on the MQii website, once posted.

Malnutrition Awareness Week 2024

September 16–20, 2024 is ASPEN’s Malnutrition Awareness Week™. There are multiple webinars and events throughout the week, including a CE webinar on “Improving Health Equity through Quality: The Global Malnutrition Composite Score” on September 19 from 12–1 PM ET. This session will explore the GMCS and how it can help hospitals improve health equity and quality care. Those interested can register here. There are multiple ways to get involved and contribute to ASPEN’s campaign, which are outlined on the Malnutrition Awareness Week™ website
 
 

Learn and Network at Upcoming Conferences

View additional upcoming external events (such as conferences and webinars) on our MQii Learning Collaborative calendar.

Consider Opportunities to Share Your Malnutrition Quality Improvement Experiences

The following list of conferences may be of interest to you or your team. We encourage you to look at the event websites, review submission criteria, and consider sharing your research with various audiences. Please reach out with any questions or for assistance in pulling together submission materials.
 
 
 
 
 

NUTRITION POLICY UPDATE

GMCS Expansion Included in 2024 IPPS Final Rule

We are pleased to share that CMS’s proposal to expand the Global Malnutrition Composite Score (GMCS) has been finalized, expanding the GMCS eCQM measure to adults aged 18 and older beginning with the CY 2026 reporting period/FY 2028 payment determination. CMS recently released the  2025 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Final Rule, which includes updates for quality measures for future years of the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) program. Thank you to the MQii community for submitting many supportive comments. The MQii team is appreciative of the support to expand the GMCS to 18+.

Commenters supported the proposal and recommended that CMS accelerate implementation of the expansion from CY 2026 to CY 2025 to encourage hospitals to provide high-quality malnutrition care to all adults. Many commenters who supported accelerating the proposal’s implementation noted that the modification to the measure would not impose a burden increase on providers. CMS noted the CY 2026 timeline allows hospitals time to review the results of the first full year of reporting on the GMCS eCQM before implementation of the modification. This does not preclude organizations from engaging in preventive screening and intervention for malnutrition in patients 18 years of age and older prior to the measure change in 2026. CMS encourages commenters to engage in this work, which could result in both improved clinical outcomes and substantial financial savings on subsequent medical care for hospital systems.

We appreciate the continued support of the GMCS to benefit patient and malnutrition care.

GMCS Endorsed by Partnership for Quality Measurement

Batelle’s Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) is the entity certified by CMS to provide quality measure endorsement reviews. On July 29, the PQM convened the Endorsement and Maintenance (E&M) Recommendation Group members for the Spring 2024 Initial Recognition and Management Meeting to discuss the GMCS, among other measures. Ultimately, the GMCS was endorsed with conditions by the committee, indicating its credibility and acceptability. Committee members indicated a desire to see implementation data demonstrating the GMCS’ impact on nutritional status or other clinical endpoints in the newly expanded 18+ population in the future. The MQii team is taking this feedback into account in planning for future MQii Learning Collaborative initiatives. Any participating hospitals interested in sharing data in the future to help demonstrate the impact of the GMCS are welcome to contact the MQii team to express this interest and explore opportunities to collaborate.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Learning Collaborative Member Resources and Recognition

Clinical Nutrition Manager (CNM) GMCS Matrix Resource

To support hospital CNMs in implementing the GMCS, the MQii team has developed this Excel-based checklist tool for Clinical Nutrition Managers to provide a list of essential activities, including capturing data, calculating results, and submitting the measure.

On the “Implement GMCS” tab we detail suggested activities for successful GMCS implementation in your facility, including timing of each activity, general responsibilities (however please note that staffing and responsibilities should be adapted to best fit your hospital’s size), and resources available. For a visual timeline of these activities see the “Gantt Chart” tab. Commonly referred to roles, acronyms, and terminology are also included.

We hope this new resource is useful to you in capturing data and successfully reporting the GMCS!

Updated Malnutrition Quality Improvement Toolkit

The MQii Toolkit to support your efforts to improve the quality of nutrition care in hospitals has been updated with new PDSA examples, updated data codes, and streamlined guidance for members of the quality improvement team. The updated toolkit can now be found here on the MQii website.

The Commission on Dietetics Registration (CDR) Offers Support for Quality Management, GMCS, NCP and Interoperability

The CDR Quality, Interoperability, and Standards Team is available to support any quality improvement needs.  For general quality management and process improvement questions, including implementation of the Global Malnutrition Composite Score, visit www.cdrnet.org/quality, www.cdrnet.org/GMCS, or email [email protected]. For information on interoperability, including what it means for the nutrition and dietetics profession and CDR-led efforts, visit www.cdrnet.org/ interoperability-health-information-standards or email [email protected]. When implementing the Nutrition Care Process and Terminology, find information and the latest regarding updates on www.cdrnet.org/nutrition-care-process-and-terminology or email [email protected].  

NPFE: Putting it All Together

Did you know that nutrition-focused physical exam (NFPE) continues to be part of the scope and standards of practice for registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs)? The revised 2024 Scope and Standards of Practice (SSOP) for RDNs includes NFPE in Standard 7.2.5 “Obtains and assesses findings from nutrition-focused physical exam (NFPE).” As part of Standard 7.2 “Conducts nutrition assessment.” To review this standard and all of the SSOPs for RDNs, visit CDR.

To learn more about how to obtain NFPE skills and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Live Virtual NFPE Hands-on Training Workshops, visit www.eatrightpro.org/nfpe or email [email protected].
 
 
 
 
 

NUTRITION RESEARCH

Recent Publications

We are sharing several recent publications and blogs relevant to malnutrition, nutrition care processes, and quality improvement:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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