UDS

Uniform Data System (UDS) Reporting Assistance and Process Improvement Discussion (RAPID) Series

Building Health Center Capacity to Improve Data Collection and Use


Registration is now open to apply for the 2025 Uniform Data System (UDS) Reporting Assistance and Process Improvement Discussion (RAPID) series! The Bureau of Primary Health Care’s (BPHC) RAPID series offers specialized, virtual technical assistance on electronically specified clinical quality measures reported in the UDS. The six-part series, held from late-June through early-September, supports health centers in strengthening workflows and deepening their knowledge and capacity to collect, report, validate, and use quality data to improve patient care. Below is more information on the series, eligibility, and registration.

 

About the Series


The virtual 2025 RAPID series strengthens health centers’ understanding of UDS electronically specified clinical quality measure reporting, while building their overall capacity to improve data collection, quality, and use. Participants will conduct a focused, in-depth examination of one electronically specified clinical quality measure over six sessions. Activities will include:

  • Focusing on a specific preventative care or screening electronically specified clinical quality measure
  • Developing a road map
  • Exploring examples of value sets, measurement specifications, health center workflows, solutions for standardizing data fields, and data collection of a specific preventative care or screening electronically specified clinical quality measure

RAPID training experts will select the focal electronically specified clinical quality measure based on participants’ interests and needs expressed in the application process to ensure sessions are highly relevant and engaging.

Program Objectives: Selected participants will be able to:

  • Identify and implement areas where process changes (e.g., workflow, data collection, validation) could improve the accuracy of reporting.
  • Improve understanding of the health center’s process that impacts the UDS clinical quality measure of focus.
  • Understand how accurately reported data can help the health center identify areas for clinical improvement and meet community needs.
  • Know how to apply the identified process changes to collect and report data on similar clinical quality measures.

Date and Location: June-September 2025; 1-hour interactive sessions (all sessions will be virtual)

Schedule: 

  • Session 1, June: Understanding Your Own UDS Reporting
  • Session 2, July: Understanding Your Measure of Focus
  • Session 3, August: Working Towards Your Goal
  • Session 4, September: Planning for and Spreading Success

2 sessions between July-August: Presentation from subject matter experts and facilitated discussion on Data Governance and Process Mapping

Eligibility and How to Apply

To ensure effective, engaging, and compelling discussions, the program facilitators will assign selected participants to groups with other health centers that have similar characteristics (e.g., goals, interests, and challenges). Due to limited space, priority will be given to health centers with:

  • UDS experience
  • EHR capabilities
  • EHR use for reporting UDS Tables 6B and 7 (no sampling)
  • Quality improvement and support staff 
  • No change to EHR vendor in the past year     
  • No prior year participation in RAPID  
  • UDS clinical quality measure performance rates comparatively lower than peer health centers
Is Your Health Center a Good Fit?

To determine if your health center is a good match for RAPID, consider the following:

  • Are there system (e.g., patient registration, EHR) issues that prevent the health center from consistently submitting accurate clinical quality measure data?  
  • Do health center staff spend considerable time correcting systems, producing reports, and investigating outputs, year after year?  
  • Are there gaps in health center processes for collecting the necessary patient information, service, and/or clinical data?  
  • Are there barriers (e.g., workflow, staffing) that can be overcome if given guidance and action steps?  
  • Is there a team of staff who can commit approximately five hours per month over the course of four months to attend and actively participate in communities of practice TA sessions?

If you answered yes to these questions, we strongly encourage you to sign up for the RAPID series! Registration is open until Tuesday, May 27th, 2025.

 

Process
  1. Complete one registration per health center by May 27th. You are encouraged to coordinate your response internally prior to submitting registration for your health center.
  2. We will review applications, select participants, and place health centers in groups. Groups will be determined based on the three electronically specified clinical quality measures most commonly identified by applying health centers.
  3. We will notify all applicants of participation decisions by no later than June 4th. Selected participants will be notified of their assignment and will be provided session log-in information.
  4. Complete a brief initial assessment (one per health center team) prior to the start of the series to help facilitators better tailor session content to meet your needs.  
  5. Participate in six virtual sessions beginning in late June. 
  6. Complete action work activities between and during sessions to promote critical thinking and communities of practice about process improvements. 
  7. Complete a post-series evaluation.

FAQ

Q: If we register to apply, will we have a confirmed spot in the series?

A: If you register, your health center will be added to the pool of applicants under consideration for a spot in one of the three groups, if eligibility criteria is met. Applicants will receive an initial response shortly after registering to inform if minimum eligibility has been met. However, space is limited and we cannot guarantee all registered health centers a place in the program. All applicants will receive a response no later than June 4th to inform them if they are accepted into the program.

Q: How will you select RAPID participants?

A: To ensure effective, engaging, and compelling communities of practice and discussions, we will assess eligibility and then do our best to match participants into groups with other health centers that are similar in organization, goals, interests, and challenges. As we assess applicants, we will be looking for health centers to meet minimum eligibility criteria ranging from staffing experiences to data, clinical, and EHR capabilities. This information will be supplemented with UDS four key performance areas: financial, clinical, patient criteria, and UDS reporting criteria (e.g., ratings, EHR reporting, revisions, submissions dates), as well as organizational characteristics (e.g., urban/rural, size of health center, services provided, grants, geographic location) to match health centers to the measures of focus. 

Q: If selected, are we required to attend each session?

A: We ask that you actively participate in all sessions and activities before, between, and at the end of the series. These sessions and activities will be most valuable if all participants are sharing their insights and experiences with each other to inform and drive the sessions, as well as the changes you want to see at your organization in addressing data concerns. 

Q: Who from my health center needs to participate?

A: We recommend a team-based approach for UDS reporting and data analysis, and we want you to take the same approach for the RAPID series. While we know that the team composition may vary based on your health center operations, we recommend your team would include: 

  • A Champion: This person will be the overall lead and point of contact for the health center team. The champion will identify appropriate team members to join specific sessions and handle any needed coordination between sessions. The Champion is expected to attend all learning sessions. 
  • Other members may include: Data/EHR specialist, UDS submitter, clinical representative, and quality representative.

All team members are welcome to attend all the sessions.

Q: Will sessions be recorded?

A: Yes, each session will be recorded, and the slides and materials will be available for participants to review between sessions.

Q: Are there any other activities or requirements outside of the six total sessions?

A: Yes, the series includes the following in addition to the sessions:  

  • Assessment Tool: Prior to the start of the first session, health centers will complete an initial assessment to help RAPID facilitators better tailor session content. Each health center team will complete one assessment. We estimate that this will take no longer than 10-15 minutes to complete. 
  • Session Action Work: Participants will complete activities between each session to promote critical thinking about process improvements and help you meet your team’s self-identified goals.
  • Evaluation: Health centers will be asked to complete a brief survey following each session to provide feedback. At the end of the series, health centers will complete an evaluation to reflect on the series as a whole.
Q: Will anything our health center shares be used outside the sessions?

A: RAPID group discussions will only focus on processes. Any data shared with the group will be blinded, so no identifying information will be provided about your organization.

Contact

For questions about the series or UDS RAPID application process, please contact: udsrapid@jsi.com