Setting the Record Straight

I wish to comment on the article titled “Joint Commission to Issue Inpatient Quality Measure” in the June 20 issue on the Hospital-Based Inpatient Psychiatric Services (HBIPS) core measures initiative now under way at the Joint Commission. Because this initiative offers important opportunities for advancing behavioral health care, I want to correct several details in your article, including the reporting requirements for different types of providers.

Beginning with discharges on October 1, 2008, both freestanding psychiatric hospitals and psychiatric units in general hospitals may select the HBIPS measure set to help them meet their ORYX requirement. There are seven HBIPS core measures (not five as reported). Complete details are posted at<www.jointcommission.org/PerformanceMeasurement/PerformanceMeasurement/Hospital+Based+Inpatient+Psychiatric+Services.htm>.

For freestanding psychiatric hospitals, ORYX requirements can be satisfied by adopting the HBIPS measure set or nine noncore measures. The HBIPS measure set will become mandatory after the set receives National Quality Forum (NQF) endorsement and is placed on the Hospital Quality Alliance agenda.

For general hospitals with psychiatric units, HBIPS becomes one of four sets of core measures that can be selected to help them meet their ORYX requirements. It is not mandatory for general hospitals to select the HBIPS measure set.

The Joint Commission and all of the partner organizations involved with the HBIPS project have been pleased at the participation from the field throughout the development and testing of these core measures. One hundred and ninety-six freestanding psychiatric hospitals and psychiatric units in general hospitals participated in the pilot test that ran throughout 2007 (more than the 147 reported in the article).

Thank you for allowing me to correct the specific Joint Commission policy on HBIPS core measures implementation.