FAQ Directory

Yes. Use of PHQ-2/PHQ-9 meets the requirement if practices demonstrate its use in monitoring depression treatment and provide an example of the tool’s implementation in clinical care and decision making at the point of care. The intent of KM 20 A is to implement clinical decision support during treatment, not for screening or diagnosis of a mental health condition. Practices that use an evidence-based tool built into the EHR or as part of a workflow in accordance with clinical guidelines can meet the requirements if they demonstrate the guideline and an example of the guidelines implementation (i.e., the tool’s use).

Yes, unhealthy behaviors can be the result of parent behavior but ultimately, we're looking for the unhealthy behaviors demonstrated by the patient (child). Secondhand smoke may be a direct example of a parent’s behavior affecting the child’s health and poor oral hygiene may be a child’s unhealthy behavior, but could result from lack of parental oversight or health literacy. 

No. Although there is no requirement for a behavioral healthcare provider to be physically in the practice’s office, the behavioral healthcare provider must have at least partial access to the practice’s systems. Although the arrangements mentioned meet the intent of PP 03 (maintaining agreements with behavioral healthcare providers), they do not meet the requirements for this criterion.

If a practice site in an organization has integrated behavioral healthcare, the other sites in the organization may receive credit if there is also a process for their patients to access those behavioral healthcare services.

 AAP resource: 

Strategies for System Change in Children’s Mental Health: A Chapter Action Kit developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Task Force on Mental Health assists AAP chapters in addressing and improving children’s mental health in primary care in their state. https://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/Mental-Health/Pages/Chapter-Action-Kit.aspx  

Medical records should clearly indicate that the patient has been asked about the specific item by including a notation that the patient answered “No” or declined to answer. Practices do not lose credit if the patient says “No” or declines to answer as long as it is documented.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) states that adults and adolescents should be screened for depression when a practice has access to services that can be used for follow-up, if there is a positive result (i.e., mental health providers within the practice or external to the practice to whom the practice can refer patients). To meet KM 03, practices are expected to have an approach to follow up and act on results.

Care coordination resources, including a sample patient care plan can be found at: 
https://www.aap.org/en-us/professional-resources/practice-transformation/managing-patients/Pages/Care-Coordination.aspx 

National Center for Medical Home Implementation Building Your Medical Home Guide: 
https://medicalhomes.aap.org/Pages/Managing-Your-Patient-Population.aspx
https://medicalhomes.aap.org/Documents/PediatricCarePlan.pdf 

NICHQ Care Plan Template: https://www.nichq.org/resource/nichqs-care-plan-template 
 

PCMH 2017

PCMH 2017

Pediatric practices are not penalized for not sharing information with parents if the adolescent requests that information not be shared, but applicants must explain the exclusion of adolescent patients in the associated documentation. The system must include only legitimate requests for information based on state and federal confidentiality requirements
 

PCMH 2017

Palliative care is not the same as hospice care because it can begin when a patient is diagnosed or is undergoing treatment and may not indicate being near end of life. The hospice exclusion requires evidence that the member is receiving hospices services. Documentation that a member is in palliative care is not part of the exclusion.

HEDIS 2019

Unlike UOP and COU, UOD requires the conversion of all dispensed opioids into morphine milligram equivalents (MME). The most current MME conversion file, published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, removes buprenorphine, a partial opioid agonist, and states that the drug is not likely to be associated with overdose in the same dose-dependent manner as pure opioid agonists. NCQA removed it from the UOD measure in HEDIS 2019. This change aligns with the decision made by the Pharmacy Quality Alliance, the organization that developed the measure from which UOD was adapted for use in HEDIS.

HEDIS 2019

No. Medical necessity review is not required for personal care services and other activities of daily living in UM 4–UM 7. However, if these services are covered benefits, any denial decision may be appealed and is included in the scope of appeal file review for UM 9.

HP 2018

PCMH 2017