Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about NCQA’s various programs. If you don’t see what you are looking for in one of the entries below, you can ask a question through My NCQA.
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No, just having extra appointments based on the season would not meet the intent. The practice may have more same day appointments offered during these high-volume time periods but some same day appointments should be provided daily throughout the year.
Practices need to identify behavioral health-related criteria pertinent to their specific patient population such as a behavioral health diagnosis, substance use, a positive screening result from a standardized behavioral health screen, or psychiatric hospitalizations. If the practice feels that patients with temper tantrums is an identifier for patients in need of care management, the practice can use that defining criteria.
NCQA is not prescriptive regarding which depression screening tool is used as long as it’s a standardized tool. Some depression screening tool examples that would be appropriate for adolescents include but are not limited to PHQ2, PHQ9, PHQ-A, PSC, PSC-Y, RAAPS, or HEADSS.
Yes. For pediatric populations, practices may identify children and youth with special health care needs who are defined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Maternal and Child Health Bureau as children “who have or are at risk for chronic physical, developmental, behavioral or emotional conditions and who require health and related services of a type or amount beyond that required generally.”
If the condition is acute care management, the plan may be simpler than for a patient with a complex, chronic condition. The plan of care would include current medications, tests, treatment, patient/family self-care and important information about the family. While not every referral would have the same level of detail, be prepared to show a referral example for a patient that does have a care plan with the expected details.
Practices must provide a documented process for staff to follow to ensure that demographic and clinical data are available for the specialist, and either a report/log or an example showing that the process is followed (e.g., a screen shot of available information and how the information is made available to the specialist). If external referrals are made, the practice must specify the process for sharing information with those providers, as well.
There is no minimum data requirement. To meet this core requirement, practices must meet all six items outlined in CC 01. Practices must consider how best to demonstrate their process for each item to meet the intent as described in the guidance section of this criterion.
