• The annual reported rate captures activity during the previous calendar year. 
• This is a Healthcare Effectiveness & Data Information Set (HEDIS) hybrid measure.
• The DVHA Quality Unit did not complete a medical record review (MRR) for this measure in 2017. 
• The target trend line is the 50th percentile national benchmark for Medicaid programs.

This measure assesses the percentage of members 18-74 years of age who had an outpatient office visit and had their body mass index (BMI) documented during the measurement year or the year before the measurement year.

BMI is considered the most efficient & effective method for assessing excess body fat; it is a starting point for assessing the relationship betweeen weight & height; and it is the most condusive method of assessment in the primary care setting.

Obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States.  It is a complex, multifaceted, chronic disease that is affected by environmental, genetic, physiological, metabolic, behavioral and psychological components.  Approximately 127 million American adults are overweight, 60 million are obese and 9 million are severly obese.  Obesity affect every ethnicity, socioeconomic class and geographic region in the U.S.  This disease has been growing by epidemic proportions, with the prevalence increasing by approximately 50% per decade.  Obesity's impact on individual overall health has drastically increased, as well.  It increases both morbidity & mortality rates and the risk of conditions such as diabetes, CHD & cancer.  It has a substantial negative effect on longevity, reducing the length of life of people who are severely obese by an estimated 5-20 years.  Overweight and obesity are also contributing causes to more than 50 percent of all-cause mortality among American adults aged 20-74, which results in a significant economic impact - approximarely $99.2 billion is spent annually on obesity-related medical care and disability in the U.S.

Last updated:  February 2020

• DVHA contracted with Verscend to complete the record retrieval and rate calculations for hybrid measures.