December 23, 2002


TO:                   COMPdata Core Measurement Contacts

FROM:              Pat Merryweather, Vice President
                        Darlene Chuckray, Senior Director

SUBJECT:         Important Update


First, we wish you and your loved ones a wonderful Holiday Season and a happy, healthy, and joyous New Year!

Second, there are a few updates we wanted to make you aware of:
-    Submission Time Frame Extended
-    Your Feedback
-    COMPdata Feedback
-    Reminder – Zip Files for EFT Submission
-    Upcoming CART Update – Do Not Update Yet!

SUBMISSION TIME FRAME EXTENDED
As this is the first time for submission of the core measurements, COMPdata is extending the deadline for submission from December 27th to January 3rd.  Please contact COMPdata at perfmeas@ihastaff.org if you need assistance.  We have literally fielded hundreds of questions and are working closely with the Quality Improvement Organizations and CMS to respond to all inquiries.

YOUR FEEDBACK
While we have received core measurement data from many of your hospitals, there are still a few that we have not heard from.  During this week, you will receive a phone call from a COMPdata representative inquiring about your hospital’s Core Measurement submission status and if you need any assistance.

COMPdata FEEDBACK
By the end of this week you will begin receiving the feedback reports on your submission of data and status on any missing clinical or administrative/UB data.  Additionally, you will also receive a report on your matching data that signifies the information that is complete.  Within a couple of weeks, you will receive information on how to automatically retrieve this information and how to download your matched data and import into CART to generate control charts and statistical reports.

REMINDER – ZIP EXPORTED FILES FOR EFT SUBMISSION
Before submitting your files via COMPdata’s Electronic File Transfer (EFT), please remember to zip the exported files, and rename the zipped file as outlined in the EFT manual.  Also, once you have connected to EFT and completed downloading your files, be sure to disconnect from EFT!

CART UPDATE
PLEASE do not update CART to Version 1.3 until COMPdata tells you when it is appropriate.  CMS is making a major change to the CART file export and we want to make sure that nothing disturbs your hospital submission of data before the deadline.  Again, COMPdata will send notification as to when to update to Version 3.1

If you have questions, please do not hesitate to e-mail us at perfmeas@ihastaff.org

Thank you all!