On Monday, the National Committee for Quality Assurance released new standards for primary care practices seeking recognition under its patient-centered medical home program, Modern Physician reports (Robeznieks, Modern Physician, 1/31).
The new standards reinforce federal criteria on how primary care practices can demonstrate meaningful use of health IT. Under the 2009 federal economic stimulus package, health care providers who demonstrate meaningful use of certified electronic health records will qualify for incentive payments through Medicare and Medicaid.
New Medical Home Standards
The patient-centered medical home model emphasizes care coordination and communication. Currently, nearly 7,700 health care providers at more than 1,500 locations have met NCQA's standards to receive recognition as a patient-centered medical home.
NCQA's new standards for 2011 call for primary care practices to:
- Assist patients with self-care;
- Help patients access community resources;
- Improve communication between medical facilities; and
- Provide more patient-centered services.
Alignment With Meaningful Use
The new medical home evaluation standards include language from the federal meaningful use rule to reinforce incentives for health care providers to adopt EHRs.
Officials said that aligning the medical home standards with meaningful use criteria will create a beneficial cycle in which physician practices that meet the medical home requirements also will be prepared to meet the meaningful use standards, and vice versa (Merrill, Healthcare IT News, 1/31).