American College of Surgeons Quality Programs Surgeon Specific Registry SSR News and Updates

SSR News and Updates

The 2017 year will bring many changes, not only to the SSR program and system, but also to CMS regulatory reporting. With these changes come many important updates that we wish to keep you well informed of, and if you are a current SSR user then some of those updates may require your attention and action. For all of the latest information on the SSR and how it affects you, follow our News and Updates feed below (items are displayed by most recent in descending order).

April 21, 2017

New Surgeon Specific Registry (SSR) Update

Please read carefully!

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has launched the new Surgeon Specific Registry (SSR). Login to the new ACS SSR (please use your new username and password received from ACSTechSupport@quintilesims.com).

As the SSR continues the transition from the old system to the new platform, we would like to inform you of the following:

When will my data be migrated into the new SSR?
The data migration of surgeon users’ historical data from the old system to the new platform will take a few weeks as this process is not automated and therefore not instantaneous. (A permission agreement confirmed through a separate email in the old system is required for the data transfer). For instructions, see below.

Can I still access my historical data in the old SSR?
Yes! Even though the old SSR is now a read-only version now, should you need to view/download your historical data, you can still access the old SSR system through June 2017. We recommend not uploading it into the new system if you gave permission to transfer your data.

Do I need to set up my procedure location(s) in the new SSR?
Yes! For the new SSR, please ensure that you have set up your procedure location(s):

For information, go to SSR login/account setup instructions (p. 3).
If you cannot log into the https://acs.infosarioregistry.com, please contact ACSTechSupport@quintilesims.com.

Where can I find education on the new SSR?
The new SSR Demo Training Sessions can be accessed online 24/7. Or register for the online SSR Webinar Training Sessions, which includes a Q & A session.

Reference the SSR Educational Manual | A Step-by-Step Guide in the new SSR by clicking on “Notifications,” then opening or downloading the Step-by-Step Guide.

Are all CPT-Codes and ICD 10-codes included in the new SSR?
Yes! All codes are accessible.

Can I access the new SSR from a mobile device (iPhone, Android, iPad, tablets)?
Yes, the new SSR is mobile responsive and adapts to all mobile devices without needing to download or update applications. The mobile-responsive SSR can be added to your device’s home screen. Please refer to specific instructions for your device and operating system on how to add the icon of the mobile-responsive registry website to your device.

Can my office manager be a delegate for SSR data entry?
Yes! The new SSR now offers delegate-level access to your SSR account. Download instructions for regarding delegate account setup. Please note: Delegate accounts (setup and edits) can only be managed using this ACS website.

Support

If you have any programmatic questions, please contact us at SSR@facs.org or call at 312-202-5408. For technical support, including issues with SSR login, contact ACSTechSupport@quintilesims.com or 877-600-7237 (toll-free). Thank you for your interest and participation in the SSR.

The ACS sincerely thanks you for your patience and feedback as we roll out the new SSR as part of the ACS Registries, where eventually all the ACS Quality Programs’ registries will reside.

April 13, 2017

Additional Webinar Training Sessions for the ACS New SSR

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has announced the launch of the new Surgeon Specific Registry (SSR), hosted by QuintilesIMS. The new SSR is set to go live on April 18, 2017.

To help you prepare for this transition, the SSR team will be hosting several additional, educational webinars to demonstrate the new system’s capabilities and features. The ACS encourages both current and potential users to participate. Please see the following list of dates and times that the webinar training sessions will be held (please note: the same content will be presented for all webinar training sessions).

Wednesday, April 19, 9:00–10:00 am CST
Thursday, April 20, 1:00–2:00 pm CST
Tuesday, April 25, 4:00–5:00 pm CST
Thursday, April 27, 11:00 am–12:00 noon CST
Tuesday, May 2, 2:00–3:00 pm CST
Wednesday, May 3, 10:00–11:00 am CST

Register online for one of the above webinar training sessions.

Please contact SSR@facs.org if you have any questions.

March 15, 2017

ACS New Surgeon Specific Registry (SSR)—Webinar Training Sessions

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) is very excited to bring you the New SSR hosted by QuintilesIMS. The New SSR is set to go live in spring 2017. Attending one of the webinar training sessions will help you prepare for this transition by providing you a demonstration of the new system, its capabilities and features.

The New ACS SSR registry will have many enhanced features including improved reporting capabilities, delegate-level access to enter data, and the ability to add custom fields for additional variables you find relevant.

We encourage both our current users and any interested individuals to attend. Please see the following list of dates and times that the webinar training sessions will be held (please note: the same content will be presented for all webinar training sessions).

Tuesday, April 4, 5:00 pm–6:00 pm CST
Wednesday, April 5, 9:00 am–10:00 am CST
Thursday, April 6, 11:00 am–12:00 pm CST
Thursday, April 6, 2:00 pm–3:00 pm CST
Tuesday, April 11, 9:00 am–10:00 am CST
Wednesday, April 12, 3:00 pm–4:00 pm CST
Wednesday, April 12, 4:00 pm–5:00 pm CST
Thursday, April 13, 8:00 am–9:00 am CST

Register online for one of the above webinar training sessions.

Please contact SSR@facs.org if you have any questions.

March 1, 2017

Permission Agreement to Transfer Data—Deadline Extension (for current SSR users ONLY)

As we prepare to go live with the New SSR, part of that process involves migrating all of your historical data in the current SSR system over to the New SSR platform. To ensure a seamless transfer of your data in the current SSR system to the New SSR platform, we ask you to provide the ACS with permission to move your data to the New SSR platform (hosted by QuintilesIMS) from the current SSR system (hosted by Resilience Software Inc.).

The ACS has now extended the deadline for you to complete the Permission Agreement to Transfer Data. Please complete it at your earliest convenience and no later than Friday, May 5, 2017.

Steps to Complete the Permission Agreement for Data Transfer to the New SSR Platform

Click on the following link: https://surgeonregistry.com/user/permission_to_transfer_data.
Log-in using your username and password (if you do not know your login information, call 1-866-694-2323).
To agree, check all four available boxes.
Click on "Save Choice" and an automatic email will be sent to you from caseloghelp@facs.org.

Please note, if at first you do not receive the email then check your SPAM/Junk folder. If you have still not received the email, then please email SSR@facs.org indicating this with your full name and contact information (please include an email address and phone number if possible).

Go to this email and click on the link in it to finalize your permission (Note: You may have to log-in again)

Only if you have clicked on the link in this email will you have fully completed the Permission to Transfer Data Agreement.

Check If You Successfully Completed the Permission Agreement to Transfer Data

To confirm that you have successfully completed the Permission Agreement to Transfer Data, follow these quick steps:

In your SSR account, go to "Permission to Transfer Data" page under the "Settings" menu tab.
Under the "Choose an Option Below" section on the "Permission to Transfer Data" page, you will see the choice you made and the phrase "This choice has been confirmed through a separate email." This is the final step and if you see this then no further action is required on your part.

Additionally, if you used the SSR to participate in PQRS 2016, then please note that the Permission Agreement to Transfer Data is unrelated to your PQRS 2016 data submission; and your PQRS 2016 data will be submitted to CMS regardless of your action on this item. However, we highly recommend that all current SSR users agree to the data transfer so that all of your past data, including PQRS data, is transferred over to the New SSR system for your own archival purposes.

Please do not hesitate to contact the ACS SSR Team at SSR@facs.org should you have any questions.

Permission Agreement Troubleshooting FAQs

If you need to update your email in the current SSR System, follow these steps:

Login with your username and password
Go to settings
Click on preferences
Update your email as needed
Click save

If you need to resent the permission confirmation email to you, please follow these steps

Go to Settings
Click on Permission to transfer data
Reissue the email confirmation as needed
Go to your email and click on the confirmation link inside
Log back into the system

February 2017

Planning to Use the SSR for MIPS 2017?

The SSR has been preliminarily approved as a QPP MIPS-Qualified Entity for 2017. Pending final CMS approval, the following components of MIPS will be available for surgeons to fulfill through the SSR:

Quality component (formerly known as PQRS)
Clinical Practice Improvement Activities (CPIA) component (new program)

Interested in learning more about QPP MIPS 2017? Visit the ACS QPP Resource Center to view some brief informational videos created by the ACS Division of Advocacy and Health Policy. Additionally, please feel free to reach out to us at SSR@facs.org.

Advancing Care Information (ACI)—Registry Bonus

Are you interested in potentially earning some bonus points toward your overall 2017 composite score?

As of January 1, 2017, the SSR is able to receive clinical data from EHR systems in a manner that is consistent with the requirements specified for the Advancing Care Information performance category of MIPS beginning January 1, 2017.

January 2017

The New ACS Surgeon Specific Registry (SSR)

We are very excited to announce that the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Surgeon Specific Registry (SSR) program continues to evolve to better serve your needs. To help surgeons measure outcomes and meet changing regulatory requirements, the ACS has partnered with QuintilesIMS to move all ACS quality program registries, including the SSR, together under one umbrella platform to build the ACS registry of the future.

Under the new registry platform, there will be a single data warehouse system in which all quality registry data will reside. This will eventually allow for the sharing of relevant quality data across various systems and integration with EHR systems, thereby minimizing the data entry burden for surgeons in the SSR. The new ACS SSR registry will also feature enhanced reporting capabilities, delegate-level access to enter data, and the ability to add custom fields for additional variables you find relevant.

We expect the new ACS SSR to be available to all existing and prospective SSR participants in spring 2017.

For current SSR users, our goal is to seamlessly migrate your current data into the new system.

Please stay tuned for additional information to come in the future, including a new SSR participation agreement from ACS. We will keep you informed as more details regarding the move to the new SSR become available. In the meantime, please reach out to us at SSR@facs.org if you have any questions.