This content is excerpted from EyeNet’s MIPS 2022: A Primer and Reference; also see the Academy’s MIPS hub page.
Note: Since the EyeNet MIPS supplement went to print, the IRIS Registry transition schedule has been updated as discussed below.
Verana Health is a health care technology and analytics company entrusted by leading medical societies to manage their clinical data registries. By curating and applying advanced analytics to real-world clinical data, Verana Health helps drive innovations in research and empowers physicians to improve their quality of care.
A growing partnership with the Academy. Verana Health has partnered with the Academy on IRIS Registry data curation and analytics since 2017. In 2020, the partnership was expanded to include electronic health record (EHR) data integration, practice support, and MIPS reporting.
Adding extra value. Verana Health is focused on enhancing the value of IRIS Registry participation for Academy members. The goal is to advance patient care, streamline federal quality reporting, and accelerate clinical discovery.
Transitioning From FIGmd to Verana Health
The integration of practices’ EHRs with the IRIS Registry is being transitioned from the original vendor, FIGmd, to Verana Health. Integration is being rolled out based on the EHR system that each practice uses.
First steps. When it is your practice’s turn to transition, expect the following: 1) Your Verana Health Practice Experience Manager will email your practice. 2) You’ll provide basic contact and EHR system information for your practice. 3) Depending on your EHR system, you may be required to sign system-specific forms, such as a consent form.
Next steps. These depend on your EHR system and how it is hosted. If you use a cloud-based or third party–hosted EHR system: Integration is a hands-off process for your practice. However, you may need to submit a help desk ticket to your EHR vendor to initiate the process. If you use a practice-hosted EHR system: Your practice’s technical staff will need to work with Verana Health directly on the installation. Your Practice Experience Manager will walk you through the simple process.
Not heard from Verana Health? If you have not yet heard from Verana Health, it may be because the contact information they have for your practice’s IRIS Registry point person is out of date. Email the current contact information to irisdatalink@veranahealth.com.
Questions? If you have questions, email irisdatalink@veranahealth.com.
EHR System Integration Eligibility
To deliver optimal value to Academy members—including MIPS reporting—the IRIS Registry must aggregate valid data from EHR systems that are secure and reliable and share comprehensive data in a well-organized manner.
Ophthalmology’s most common EHR systems meet Verana Health’s integration standards. Verana Health’s integration efforts have been highly successful with the many EHR systems used by the vast majority of ophthalmic practices. Some of the less common EHR systems do not meet Verana Health’s requirements. Some EHR systems, for example, yield insufficient data to accurately calculate measures and provide practices with meaningful performance feedback. These less common EHR systems, which are used by only 2% of ophthalmologists participating in the IRIS Registry, will not be integrated by Verana Health. Starting in 2023, practices using EHR systems that do not meet the minimum criteria will need to switch to an eligible EHR system to continue participating in the IRIS Registry. Alternatively, you may be able to report MIPS data directly to CMS using QRDA III files provided by your EHR vendor; check with that vendor. You also can see if you are eligible for any other registries that might offer MIPS reporting. Ask FIGmd about their Polaris Registry (https://polaris.figmd.com) and check online for a list of Qualified Clinical Data Registries (Excel) and for a list of Qualified Registries (Excel).
Note: Practices that use ineligible EHR systems may continue to use the IRIS Registry to report MIPS via FIGmd for the 2022 performance year. This provides time for practices to evaluate and plan for 2023.
Continue working with FIGmd until you hear otherwise. If your practice is using EyeMD or Nextech IntelleChartPRO (without external data feeds) and the system is not highly customized or complex and was implemented by June 1, then Verana Health expects to deliver you an updated 2022 dashboard and assist you with MIPS reporting for 2022. Verana Health will begin integrating other EHR systems in Q2 2022, but practices with those systems will continue to work with FIGmd for 2022 MIPS reporting.
For more details, including a list of all EHR systems, visit aao.org/iris-registry/ehr-systems.
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