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:
- In the Comparison Tool, select the
Value Sets
option in the left side bar. - Select the "Choose value sets to compare" section.
- In the results, select the value set that you would like to compare.
- Select the “Definition/Expansion to Compare” button to choose the definition version or expansion version you would like to compare. Note, only authors and stewards have access to the definition versions.
- Select the "+ Add to Compare" button.
- When you have added your selected value set expansion version to compare, you can select a “Show Comparison Result” option:
- All (both similarities and differences)
- Similar (just code similarities)
- Different (just the code differences)
- 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.
- Repeat steps #4 through #6 to select the value set definitions and/or expansions you would like to compare for a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 5.
- In this example, notice the code differences for two different value sets.
- If you would like to export the results, select “Export Comparison".
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.
- In the Comparison Tool, select the “Value Sets” option in the left side bar.
- Select the “Choose value sets to compare” section.
- 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.
- In the results, select the value set that you would like to compare.
- Select the “Definition/Expansion to Compare” button.
- For the value set that you have selected, select the definition versions or expansion versions that you would like to compare.
- Click the “+ Add to Compare” button.
- Select “All” (both similarities and differences), “Similar” (just the code similarities), or “Different” (just the code differences) in the “Show Comparison Result” option.
- Select the "Compare" button.
- In the example, notice the code similarities in the different value set expansions.
- Select the “Export Comparison” button to export the results.
- In the Comparison Tool, select the “Value Sets” option in the left side bar.
- Select the “Choose value sets to compare” section.
- 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.
- Select the value set to compare.
- Select the “Select Definition/Expansions to Compare” button.
- Select up to 5 value set definitions or expansions to compare.
- Select the “+Add to Compare” button.
- Choose the “Metadata” tab in the “Filter elements and review comparison results” section.
- Select what you would like to see in the Comparison Result: All, Similar, or Different.
- Click the “Compare” button.
- In the results, you will see the value set metadata specified in the various definition versions for your chosen value set OID.
- Export the results by selecting the "Export Comparison" button.
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.
- 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.
- Select the “Search” button.
- Click on the value set OID to compare metadata, or codes, between different versions of this value set.
- Either compare value set expansion versions or definition versions
- 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.
- In the example below, the comparison of the definition versions is automatically executed for the definition versions “20220219”, “20210220”, and “20200305”.
- 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.
- In the Comparison Tool, select the “Program Releases” option in the left side bar.
- Select the “Choose program releases to compare” section.
- 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.)
- Select the “Search” button.
- Select up to 5 releases that you would like to compare. Then click the "+Add to Compare" button.
- 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.”)
- Select what you would like to see in the Comparison Result: All, Similar, or Different. (In this example, “Different”.)
- Select the “Compare” button.
- 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 results, 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.
- When I select the “eyeball” icon, the following measures (eCQM Identifiers) are displayed for OID 2.16.840.1.113883.3.666.5.2363.
- In the Comparison Tool, select the “Program Releases” option in the left side bar.
- Select the “Choose program releases to compare” section.
- 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.
- Select up to 5 releases that you would like to compare. Then click the “+ Add to Compare” button.
- In the Measure tab of the “Filter elements and review comparison results” section, select a Comparison Element: eCQM Identifier or eCQM Version Number.
- Select: All, Similar, or Different.
- Select the “Compare” button.
- 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.
Select a specific CMS eMeasure ID to compare measure-specified value set OIDs in selected measure versions. For example, CMS104v11, CMS104v10, CMS104v9, CMS104v8, and CMS104v7.
- In the Comparison Tool, select the “CMS Quality Measures” option in the left side bar.
- Select the “Choose eCQMs to compare” section.
- Search for a specific measure by selecting a program and/or inserting a CMS eCQM ID into the query box.
- Select the “Search” button.
- Select up to 5 CMS eCQM IDs (measure versions) that you would like to compare.
- Select the “+ Add to Compare” button.
- In the “Filter elements and review comparison results” section, select the comparison element, “Value Set OID.”
- Select what you would like to view in the comparison result: All, Similar, or Different.
- Click the "Compare" button.
- 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 2.16.840.1.113762.1.4.1111.143, is specified by CMS104v11, CMS104v10, CMS104v9, and CMS104v8. However, CMS104v7 does not include value set OID 2.16.840.1.113762.1.4.1111.143.
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.
- Compare button in the Measure option of the Value Set Details tab
Last Reviewed: October 25, 2022