Join Us at the July CMS Connectathon — Help Shape PAC Interoperability
CMS, in collaboration with the PACIO (Post-Acute Care InterOperability) Project team, invites healthcare information technology (HIT) vendors to participate in the PACIO testing track at the upcoming CMS FHIR Connectathon 7, taking place virtually July 14–16, 2026.
Vendors and stakeholders supporting Post-Acute Care (PAC) settings- Home Health Agencies (HHAs), Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs), and other PAC providers- are strongly encouraged to participate. During this event, CMS will test a potential interoperability-focused quality measure concept: Interoperability Capability & Readiness Evaluation (I-CARE) for Post-Acute Care Settings. This track offers a rare, early-stage opportunity to provide direct input and help shape a measure model before it moves forward.
As part of CMS's ongoing commitment to advancing interoperability across the care continuum, the potential I-CARE measure concept is being explored as a potential candidate quality measure for PAC settings. This effort builds on feedback received through the Request for Information (RFI) included in the CY 2026 Home Health Prospective Payment System (PPS) rule, which sought stakeholder input on interoperability-focused quality measure concepts and the use of digital quality measurement standards (e.g., FHIR).
Note: I-CARE is not a proposed or finalized measure. CMS is in an early, exploratory phase — and your feedback now will directly shape what comes next.
Why Engage at the Connectathon?
The Connectathon is your opportunity to:
- Test real-world feasibility of the potential I-CARE QM concept in your systems and workflows
- Influence implementation planning before requirements are finalized
- Provide direct feedback to CMS and help shape the measure concept before formal development
Don't miss this opportunity to collaborate with CMS build a measure concept that works in practice.. Join the PACIO track at the July CMS Connectathon and bring your expertise to the table.
Beyond I-CARE Testing
The PACIO track will run concurrent scenarios where we plan on exploring a new, draft Advance Care Planning eCQM using the PACIO Advance Directive Interoperability (ADI) FHIR Implementation Guide (IG), questionnaire-based assessment exchange using the Personal Functioning and Engagement (PFE) IG in support of NCQA quality measure efforts, and new Transitions of Care (TOC) modeling changes — giving organizations across the PAC ecosystem multiple entry points to participate and contribute.
Key Details
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Event
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CMS FHIR Connectathon 7 — PACIO Track
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Dates
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July 14–16, 2026 (Virtual)
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Participation Format
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Virtual — no travel required
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Registration Link/Deadline
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Connectathon Registration/June 30, 2026
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Primary Contact
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James Patterson, MITRE Corporation | jpatterson@mitre.org
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If you are interested in participating, or if you have questions about the scenarios and what system role(s) might be most relevant, please reach back out to James Patterson at jpatterson@mitre.org. We'd love to connect with you in the near future.
Thank you for your continued engagement with PACIO and for helping advance post-acute care interoperability. We hope to work with you at the July CMS Connectathon!
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