NCQA/HIMSS: CONNECTING HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND THE PATIENT-CENTERED MEDICAL HOME

HIMSS and the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) offer guidance to ambulatory care settings on how health IT can help them function as a PCMH

CHICAGO AND WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a new fact sheet, HIMSS and NCQA provide an overview of the Patient-Centered Medical Home model of care and highlight the role of health IT in NCQAs as a Physician Practice Connections®-Patient-Centered Medical Home™ (PPC® -PCMH™). The guide includes five examples of ambulatory patient care settings that achieved this recognition.

A Patient-Centered Medical Home is a model of care where patients have a direct relationship with a provider who coordinates a cooperative team of healthcare professionals, takes collective responsibility for the care provided to the patient and arranges for appropriate care with other qualified providers as needed. Source: HIMSS/NCQA Fact Sheet

NCQA developed the PCMH program with input from four organizations representing primary care physicians: American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Physicians and American Osteopathic Association, plus other contributors.

NCQA has nine standards for medical homes with standards for each of three recognition levels. By meeting these standards, a medical practice can improve patient care and take advantage of incentive payments that reward patient-centered medical homes.

“This informative NCQA-HIMSS fact sheet provides a guide for practices interested in becoming NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Homes,” said Rick Moore, NCQA Chief Information Officer. “With the implementation of HIT in medical homes, physicians can provide quality and efficient medical care in an active, ongoing relationship.”

The case examples in the fact sheet are:

Community Health Centers

• Urban Health Plan, Inc. – Bronx, NY 2009 HIMSS Davies Community Health Organization winner
• Community Health Access Network – New Market, NH 2008 HIMSS Davies Community Health Organization winner
• Institute for Family Health – New York, NY 2007 HIMSS Davies Public Health Award winner

Primary Care Practices

• Salvatore Volpe, MD, PC – Staten Island, NY
• Southeast Texas Medical Association (SETMA) – Beaumont, Texas
  

NCQA

HIMSS NCQA Fact Sheet