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VSAC Support Center

Value Set Comparison Tool

The VSAC Comparison Tool allows you to compare many different elements of value sets and quality measures within VSAC. You can compare value sets that have been published by an eCQM or C-CDA program release, as well as any value set within VSAC, regardless of whether it was published as part of a program release. When you review your final comparison results, rows that are shaded red indicate differences, where rows shaded grey indicate similarities.

Here are several of the functionalities the Comparison Tool offers:

  1. In the Comparison Tool, select the Value Sets option in the left side bar.
  2. Select the "Choose value sets to compare" section. Then, you have the option to search by program, release, and you can also enter a search term in the query box.

    Choose value sets to compare

    Search for value sets

  3. In the results, select the value set that you would like to compare.

  4. To retreive a particular value set, use the filters at the top of the columns: name, code system, definition type, steward, OID, and code count. For example, type the word “discharge” to filter the “name” column by value sets that have the word “discharge” in the name field. Then, click on the “plus” sign next to the value set that you would like to select. The “plus” sign becomes a “minus” sign.

    Matched Value Sets Select Definitions or Expansions to Compare

  5. Select the definition versions or expansion versions you would like to compare. (Note, only authors and stewards have access to the definition versions.) In this case, the expansion version, 20220527 is selected. Select the “ + Add Comparison Items” button.

    Select the definitions and expansions

  6. To add more value sets to compare, go back to “Matched Value Sets” by selecting the top section “Choose value sets to compare” and select another value set to compare. Select the “+ Add Comparison Items” button. Repeat steps #2 through #5 to select the value set definitions and/or expansions you would like to compare for a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 5.

    Show comparison result

  7. Once you have added your selected value set expansion versions to compare, select the “Code” tab and then select a “Show Comparison Result” option:
    • ( All - both similarities and differences)
    • ( Similar - just code similarities)
    • ( Different - just the code differences)

      Selections for Show Comparison Results

  8. Select the “Compare” button.

    Show comparison result

  9. In this example, notice the code differences for two different value sets. If you would like to export the results, select “Export Comparison".

    Show Comparison Result

Compare value set codes between multiple expansion versions, or definition versions, of one value set. Compare up to 5 value set expansions, or value set definitions, that you selected.

  1. In the Comparison Tool, select the “Value Sets” option in the left side bar.
  2. Select the “Choose value sets to compare” section.

    Choose value sets to compare

  3. Search for a value set by selecting a program and release, or you can choose the “All” option to find value sets that were not published as part of an eCQM or C-CDA program release. You may also enter an OID or search terms in the Query box. Then, click the “Search” button.

    Search for a specific oid

  4. Then, click on the “plus” sign next to the value set that you would like to select. The “plus” sign becomes a “minus” sign.

    Select the value set and click the select the Definition Expansion button

  5. Then, select the definition versions or expansion versions you would like to compare. (Note, only authors and stewards have access to the definition versions.) In this case, the expansion version, 20220527 and eCQM Update 2022-05-05 are selected. Select the “+ Add Comparison Items” button.

    Select definitions and expansions to compare

  6. Select the “Code” tab and select “All” (both similarities and differences), “Similar” (just the code similarities), or “Different” (just the code differences) in the “Show Comparison Result” option.
  7. Select the "Compare" button.
  8. In the example, notice the code similarities in the different value set expansions.
  9. Select the “Export Comparison” button to export the results.

    Select definitions and expansions to compare

  1. In the Comparison Tool, select the “Value Sets” option in the left side bar.
  2. Select the “Choose value sets to compare” section.

    Choose value sets to compare

  3. Search for a value set by selecting a program and release, or you can choose the “All” option to find value sets that were not published as part of an eCQM or C-CDA program release. You may also enter an OID or search terms in the Query box. Then, click the “Search” button.

    Choose value sets to compare

  4. Then, click on the “plus” sign next to the value set that you would like to select. The “plus” sign becomes a “minus” sign.

    Select definitions and expansions to compare

  5. Select the definition versions or expansion versions you would like to compare. In this case, three value set definitions are selected. Select the “+Add Comparison Items” button.

    Select definitions and expansions to compare
  6. Choose the “Metadata” tab in the “Filter elements and review comparison results” section.
  7. Select what you would like to see in the Comparison Result: All, Similar, or Different.
  8. Click the “Compare” button.
  9. In the results, you will see the value set metadata specified in the various definition versions for your chosen value set OID.
  10. Export the results by selecting the "Export Comparison" button.

    Show comparison result

Instant Comparisons Using VSAC “Search Value Sets”

You may also use the VSAC “Search Value Sets” tab to search for a value set to compare metadata and codes between different versions of a value set.

  1. In the public, “Search Value Sets” tab, search for a value set either by selecting a program and release and/or other relevant filters. You can also enter an OID or search term in the Query box.
  2. Select the “Search” button.
  3. Click on the value set OID to compare metadata, or codes, between different versions of this value set.

    enter term in the search value sets tab

  4. Either compare value set expansion versions or definition versions
  5. In this example, the Definition Version “Compare Versions” button is selected. The tool automatically compares the definition version shown (in this case, 20220219) with up to two other most recent definition versions of this value set.

    value set details tab, then by the definition version is a compare versions button

  6. In the example below, the comparison of the definition versions is automatically executed for the definition versions “20220219”, “20210220”, and “20200305”.

    Show comparison results is automatically executed for three most recent value set definition versions

  7. You may also add more value set definition versions (for a total of 5) to compare. Open the “Choose value sets to compare” section, search for and select a value set, and then select the definition versions you would like to add.

  1. In the Comparison Tool, select the “Program Releases” option in the left side bar.
  2. Select the “Choose program releases to compare” section.

    Select the choose program releases to compare

  3. Search for a program release (eCQM only) by selecting a program and a release, or by inserting a release ID into the query box (e.g., eCQM Update 2022-05-05.)
  4. Select the “Search” button.

    Search by program to get the releases

  5. Select up to 5 releases that you would like to compare. Then click the “ Add Comparison Items” button.

    Select the releases to compare

  6. In the Value Set tab of the “Filter elements and review comparison results” section, select a Comparison Element: eCQM Identifier, CMS eMeasure ID, Value Set Definition Version, Value Set Name, or Value Set Steward. (In this example, “eCQM Identifier.”)
  7. Select what you would like to see in the Comparison Result: All, Similar, or Different. (In this example, “Different”.)
  8. Select the “Compare” button.
  9. In the results, you will see the program releases that you selected in step #5 and the Comparison Element that you selected in step #6 for each value set OID.

    In the show comparison results you will see the programs releases that you selected

  10. In the results, you may filter by OID or description. For example, filter the description field by “creatinine” to see value sets that have the word "creatinine" in the description. Then, click on the “eyeball” icon for an OID to see more specifically which eCQM Identifiers specify a value set. We compress these results because there are many cases where several eCQM Identifiers specify a value set.

    Click on the eyeball icon for an OID to view which eCQM Identifier specify a value set

  11. When I select the “eyeball” icon, the following measures (eCQM Identifiers) are displayed for OID 2.16.840.1.113883.3.666.5.2363.

    When I select the “eyeball” icon, the following measures (eCQM Identifiers) are displayed for OID 2.16.840.1.113883.3.666.5.2363

  1. In the Comparison Tool, select the “Program Releases” option in the left side bar.
  2. Select the “Choose program releases to compare” section.

    Select the choose program releases to compare

  3. Search for a release by selecting an eCQM program and/or inserting a release ID in the query box (e.g., eCQM Update 2022-05-05). Then, click the “Search” button.
  4. Select up to 5 releases that you would like to compare. Then click the “+ Add Comparison” button.

    Select the releases to compare

  5. In the Measure tab of the “Filter elements and review comparison results” section, select a Comparison Element: eCQM Identifier or eCQM Version Number.
  6. Select: All, Similar, or Different.
  7. Select the “Compare” button.
  8. If you selected the “eCQM Version Number” you will see the eCQM Version Numbers for each eCQM Identifier that are specified in the releases that you selected to compare. You can filter by the eCQM Identifier or Description columns to quickly find specific measure information.

    value set tab show comparison results with the comparison element is eCQM Version Number

Select a specific CMS eMeasure ID to compare measure-specified value set OIDs in selected measure versions. For example, CMS104v10, CMS104v9, CMS104v8, and CMS104v7.

  1. In the Comparison Tool, select the “CMS Quality Measures” option in the left side bar.
  2. Select the “Choose eCQMs to compare” section.

    Choose eCQMs to compare

  3. Search for a specific measure by selecting a program and/or inserting a CMS eCQM ID into the query box.
  4. Select the “Search” button.

    To select an eCQM to compare search by CMS eCQM Measure ID

  5. Select up to 5 CMS eCQM IDs (measure versions) that you would like to compare.
  6. Select the “+ Add Comparison Items” button.

    To select an eCQM to compare search by CMS eCQM Measure ID

  7. In the “Filter elements and review comparison results” section, select the comparison element, “Value Set OID.”
  8. Select what you would like to view in the comparison result: All, Similar, or Different.
  9. Click the "Compare" button.
  10. In the results, you will see which value set OIDs are specified by each eCQM Measure version. In this example, in the first row, value set OID 2.16.840.1.113762.1.4.1110.52, is specified by CMS104v10 and CMS104v9. However, CMS104v8 and CMS104v7 do not include value set OID 2.16.840.1.113762.1.4.1110.52.

    The comparison results shows value sets specified by CMS measure 104 versions

Select a specific CMS eMeasure ID to compare codes in selected measure versions. For example, CMS104v10, CMS104v11, and CMS104v12.

  1. In the Comparison Tool, select the “CMS Quality Measures” option in the left side bar.
  2. Select the “Choose eCQMs to compare” section.

    Choose eCQMs to compare

  3. Search for a specific measure by selecting a program and/or inserting a CMS eCQM ID into the query box.
  4. Select the “Search” button.

    To select an eCQM to compare search by CMS eCQM Measure ID

  5. Select up to 5 CMS eCQM IDs (measure versions) that you would like to compare.
  6. Select the “+ Add Comparison Items” button.

    To select an eCQM to compare search by CMS eCQM Measure ID

  7. Select the Code tab. In the new Comparison Element, CODE will be selected.
  8. Select what you would like to view in the comparison result: All, Similar, or Different.
  9. Click the "Compare" button.
  10. In the results, you will see which codes are specified by each eCQM Measure version.

    To select an eCQM to compare search by CMS eCQM Measure ID

You can access the Comparison Tool functions in several places in the VSAC user interface:

  • Comparison Tool button in the upper right area of the Search Value Sets screen
  • Compare Releases button at the Program Release level of the screen, and Compare Versions button in the Value Sets tab.

    VSAC Search Value Sets tab showing 1 comparison tool button 1 compare releases button and 2 compare version buttons

  • Compare button in the Measure option of the Value Set Details tab

    VSAC Search Value Sets tab measure option click the compare button to view the latest 3 versions of the measure and the value set OIDs specified by the measure versions in the Comparison tool

Last Reviewed: May 1, 2023