March 27, 2023

Visual Communication Tools from CMS

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is offering a set of cue cards to assist providers in conducting the Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMS), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2 to 9), and the Pain Interview, as referenced in setting-specific guidance. This resource is intended to be used as a supplemental patient communication tool that provides a visual reference for coding response options. More detailed instructions regarding the use of cue cards and the administration of the BIMS in writing can be found in your setting-specific guidance manual. The cue cards are available in the Downloads section of the HH QRP Training page.