The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) developed and published the 2026 electronic clinical quality measure (eCQM) flows to the Electronic Clinical Quality Improvement (eCQI) Resource Center. The eCQM flows, found on the eCQM resources tabs, supplement Hospital - Inpatient and Hospital - Outpatient eCQM specifications for the 2026 reporting period, and Eligible Clinician eCQMs for the 2026 performance period.

The eCQM flows are designed to assist in interpretation of the eCQM logic and calculation methodology for performance rates. The eCQM flows provide an overview of each of the population criteria components and associated data elements that lead to the inclusion or exclusion into the eCQM’s quality action (numerator).

These flows are intended to be used as an additional resource when implementing eCQMs and should not be used in place of the eCQM specifications or for reporting purposes. Specific to the Hospital - Inpatient and Hospital - Outpatient eCQM flows, a “Read Me First” guide is available to assist users as they navigate the flows.

To report questions or comments on the eCQM flows, visit the eCQM Issue Tracker.