REPORT: SUPPORTING FAMILY DOCTORS AND SMALL PRACTICES IMPORTANT FOR SUCCESSFUL HEALTH CARE REFORM

View the Report and Other Materials

WASHINGTON – Small medical practices provide the majority all ambulatory care visits in the United States, yet many lack the resources to improve the quality of care delivered to a diverse population, according to a report released today by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) and supported by The California Endowment. The report highlights the important role of small medical practices in health care delivery and the challenges they face in adapting to key health reform proposals.

Small practices provide nearly three quarters of all ambulatory care visits in the United States, yet many of them lack the resources to improve the quality of care, implement electronic health records and serve an increasingly diverse population. The report highlights the importance of providing adequate help in adapting to the new demands for quality and accountability under current health care reform proposals.

“Our research shows that small practices are willing to change and adapt their practices to best meet their patients’ needs, be more accountable, improve quality and reduce disparities. However they will need significant support,” said Margaret E. O’Kane, NCQA President. “When considering how to implement health reform that will work for America, small practices need special attention.”

NCQA identified the specific ways to address the challenges facing small practices including:

• Training and development for physicians and other staff on cultural competence, language needs and quality improvement;
• Tools, templates and information resources such as patient education materials in various languages, clinical practice guidelines and templates for organizing medical information;
• Shared services or staff to support interpreter needs, quality improvement initiatives, data management and technical support; and,
• Networking opportunities and learning collaboratives to hear from other practices, stakeholders and local, state and national policy makers.

The report, Supporting Small Practices: Lessons for Health Reform, is available to the public on NCQA’s Web site at www.ncqa.org/smallpractices.

NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA’s Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) is the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations and recognizes physicians in key clinical areas. More than 7 in 10 Americans enrolled in health plans are in an NCQA-Accredited plan. NCQA is committed to providing health care quality information through the Web, media and data licensing agreements in order to help consumers, employers and others make more informed health care choices.

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