Consensus Core Set: Pediatrics
The Core Quality Measures Collaborative (CQMC) core measure sets (core sets) are intended for use in value-based payment (VBP) programs and may
also be used to drive improvement in high-priority areas. The core sets can be used in their entirety to holistically assess quality or can serve as a starting
point when selecting measures to meet specific goals. CQMC core sets are developed and maintained using a multistakeholder, consensus-based
process and established selection principles. The core sets focus primarily on ambulatory care measures at the clinician reporting level. Measure
specifications and details are linked in the “NQF Number” column, and additional considerations for use are included in the “Notes” section of the table
below.
Pediatric Measures
NQF
Number
Measure Title
Steward
Notes
Prevention and Wellness
0038
Childhood Immunization Status (CIS)
1407
Immunizations for Adolescents (IMA)
1448
Developmental Screening in the First Three
Years of Life
Chlamydia Screening for Women
0033 /
eCQM
0024
1516
1800
0002
0069
[1]
Weight Assessment and Counseling for Nutrition
and Physical Activity for Children/Adolescents
(WCC)
Well-Child Visits in the Third, Fourth, Fifth and
Sixth Years of Life (W34)
Asthma
Asthma Medication Ratio
National Committee for Quality
Assurance
National Committee for Quality
Assurance
Oregon Health & Science University
Telehealth eligible for CMS programs in 2022
National Committee for Quality
Assurance
eCQM available*
Telehealth eligible for CMS programs in 2022
Telehealth eligible
National Committee for Quality
Assurance
**
No longer NQF endorsed
National Committee for Quality
Assurance
Telehealth eligible
National Committee for Quality
Assurance
Telehealth eligible
Overuse
Appropriate Testing for Children With
Pharyngitis (CWP)
National Committee for Quality
Assurance
Appropriate Treatment for Children With Upper
Respiratory Infection (URI)
National Committee for Quality
Assurance
No longer NQF endorsed
Telehealth eligible for CMS programs in 2022
Telehealth eligible for CMS programs in 2022
Version 3.0 Updated: 1/2022
NQF
Number
2811e
0418 /
0418e
0005
Measure Title
Acute Otitis Media – Appropriate First-Line
Antibiotics
Steward
Notes
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Pediatric Quality Measures Program
Center of Excellence
eCQM
Behavioral Health
Preventative Care and Screening: Screening for
Clinical Depression and Follow-up Plan
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services
No longer NQF endorsed. Developer plans to
maintain measure independently.
eCQM available*
Telehealth eligible for CMS programs in 2022
Patient Experience
CAHPS Clinician & Group Surveys (CG-CAHPS) Child
Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality
AHRQ guidance on denominator volume
*Separate benchmarks should be used based on reporting method.
**Cell intentionally left empty.
Gap Areas for Future Consideration or Measure Development
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
[2]
Behavioral health measures for pediatric populations, including general suicide risk assessment, anxiety, and referrals/follow-up, are a priority
Patient-reported outcomes: clinical outcomes, patient and family engagement, additional methods of assessing experience (e.g., net promoter
scores), and measures that identify disparities
Contraceptive care
Substance use screening measures. Reconsider #2803 Tobacco Use and Help with Quitting Among Adolescents after it is updated to include vaping
and e-cigarette use.
Social determinants of health and access to care. #1516 Well-Child Visits in the Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Years of Life currently addresses access;
the specifications for this measure are being updated by the developer to encompass child and adolescent well care visits more broadly.
Meaningful metrics relating to obesity, including body mass index, plan of care, and improvements in weight
Care coordination
Age-specific measures (e.g., adapting adult-focused survey instruments to suit adolescents)
Measures that include virtual or telehealth visits as part of their specifications when appropriate (e.g., virtual visits for adolescent well-care)
Revisit #2721e Screening for Reduced Visual Acuity and Referral in Children (currently approved for trial use but is not fully endorsed by NQF)
Revisit #1360 Audiological Evaluation No Later Than 3 Months of Age
Revisit the following measures if they are updated: #0002 Appropriate Testing for Children with Pharyngitis (CWP), #0004 Initiation and Engagement
of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse or Dependence Treatment
Version 3.0 Updated: 1/2022
Core Set Updates for 2021
Updated notes related to telehealth eligibility for all measures
NQF measures 0024 and 1516 have been adjusted by the steward to reflect accommodations for telehealth visits. Measures 0038, 0033, 0002, 0069, and
0418/0418e remain telehealth eligible for CMS programs in 2022; the notes on these measures have been updated to reflect this continued eligibility.
Removed note related to 1407: Immunizations for Adolescents (IMA)
1407 previously included a note emphasizing that 100% compliance may be unachievable due to a lack of exclusion for patient refusal of the HPV
vaccine. The Workgroup was in consensus that this note was no longer relevant, as 100% compliance is unlikely for any measure and the lack of
exclusions for patient refusals pertains to all immunizations used to calculate the measure (meningococcal, Tdap, and HPV).
Updated note related to 0418/0418e: Preventative Care and Screening: Screening for Clinical Depression and Follow-Up Plan
This measure is no longer endorsed by NQF, as the developer did not resubmit for maintenance. However, the developer plans to maintain this measure
independently.
Additional details about the discussion and measures not selected for inclusion are available at the CQMC website’s CQMC Workgroup Meeting
Summaries page.
[3]
Version 3.0 Updated: 1/2022