The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) today announced plans to revise its landmark evaluation of medical practices through the Physician Practice Connections®-Patient-Centered Medical Home™ (PPC®-PCMH™) to reflect the growing interest in this promising approach to improving care quality. Since its introduction in 2008, NCQA's PPC-PCMH program has recognized more than 300 medical practices across the U.S. In recent months, the medical home model has gained greater visibility with its inclusion in several statewide programs and in health reform bills now pending in Congress.
"The medical home model has taken root across the country and with each day new ideas are emerging. We are learning from the experiences of physician practices and continuing to evolve our approach to reflect these promising developments," said NCQA President Margaret E. O'Kane.
To help guide the update process, NCQA has named a 23-member panel of experts to the PPC-PCMH Advisory Committee chaired by Susan Edgman-Levitan, P.A., Executive Director, Stoeckle Center for Primary Care Innovation at Mass General Hospital. NCQA anticipates revised standards that continue to be feasible for individual practices and that also encourage better coordination and integration across systems.
A second task force, chaired by Robert Margolis, M.D., CEO of HealthPartners of California, will explore how to apply the medical home standards and other quality requirements to accountable care organizations (ACOs) and provide guidance to the broader committee. The PPC-PCMH Advisory Committee will apply findings from research and practical application of the medical home model in demonstration projects to inform the update. Among the questions the committee will explore are how to:
-- Define aspects of the model that can improve quality and save money -- Incorporate patient experience into the evaluation of practices -- Incorporate clinical care results into the evaluation of practices -- Recognize the role of non-physician clinicians -- Align standards with federal "meaningful use" requirements for electronic health records
"The medical home is an evolving concept and I look forward to supporting the evolution of NCQA's standards as we hear the ideas and experiences of stakeholders from across the health care system," said Edgman-Levitan.