Secure Messaging

This measure reports the percentage of patients whose provider sent them at least one secure electronic message during the numerator period. This message must have been about the patient’s clinical health information. It can be a reply to a secure message sent from the patient, as long as the original message was about the patient’s clinical health information. Patients of any age may be counted in this measure.

Measure Overview
Denominator The number of unique patients who had at least one non-voided face-to-face visit with an eligible provider or clinician checked-in during the measurement period.
Numerator The number of patients who are registered for the patient portal that were sent a secure message or a response to a secure message.
Medicaid Goal

Must Exceed 5%

See the following sections for more information on the Secure Messaging measure:

Denominator Criteria

Patients are counted in the denominator if they had at least one non-voided face-to-face visit during the measurement period set in Prime Suite Reporting 2019. This visit must be with an eligible provider and checked-in during the measurement period.

Numerator Criteria

Patients who qualified for the denominator count in the numerator if their provider sent them or the authorized patient representative at least one secure electronic message during the calendar year. This message must be in regard to the patient’s clinical health information. Qualifying messages can be a response to a secure message sent by a patient if the patient’s message was related to the patient’s clinical health information.

The criteria for the numerator must be met during the calendar year that the measurement period begins in. For example, if the measurement period begins on 3/3/2019, the numerator must be met during the period that begins on January 1, 2019 and ends on December 31, 2019.

Patients must be registered for the patient portal to send and receive secure messages.

Measure Changes for 2019

Name Changes None
Measure Changes None
Workflow Changes

For this measure, you must use the Secure Communication task type when creating the message.

You should only use the Secure Communication task type when communicating patient health information. Any other content should use a different task type.

Setup Requirements

To meet this measure, you must have purchased and implemented the Greenway Patient Portal. If you do not currently have patient portal functionality, contact your sales representative.

Secure Messaging Workflows

The Prime Suite workflows related to this measure include:

Sending a Secure Message to a Patient

1. From the Actions menu, select Open Task List.

2. Select Add New Task from the Actions menu in the My Tasks window.
3. Ensure the following fields are set:
  • Type: Select Secure Communication.

Only the Secure Communication task type will qualify.

  • Provider: Select a provider that has a visit with the patient.
  • Location: Optionally, select a location.
  • Send To: Select the person to send the task to.

You can quickly send and assign the task to yourself by selecting the Assign to Me link. This link enters yourself in the Send To and Assign To fields automatically.

  • Assign To: Optionally, select the user to be assigned the task.
  • Select Patient: Select the patient to be associated with the task. The patient must be registered for the patient portal your practice has implemented.
  • Status: Set the status to New.
  • Priority: Set the priority to either Low, Medium, or High as needed.
  • Follow-Up: Optionally, select the Follow-Up check box.
  • Add to Facesheet: Optionally, select the Add to Facesheet check box.
  • Due Date: Enter the task's due date.
4. Save the Task.
5. Select Send Patient Message from the Actions menu. The Second Patient Message dialog box opens.
6. Complete the Subject and Content fields.
7. Select Send.

Replying to a Secure Message from a Patient

1. Select Open Task List on the patient's Facesheet.
2. Select the message sent from the patient.
3. Select Reply to Patient.
4. Enter your reply.
5. Select Send.

If the patient’s message to the practice isn’t about the patient’s clinical health information, the provider’s reply will not qualify. On the Greenway Patient Portal, the following task types can qualify: Ask a medical question and Ask a general question.