FAQ Directory

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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5.24.2018 KM 02 I Do patients of all ages need to be included in this requirement?

No. If a patient is considered an adult by the practice (typically 18 or older), the practice should have an advance care planning discussion with the patient, and the results of that discussion should be documented in the patient medical record.

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
PCMH 2017

5.24.2018 KM 03 Clarify the language in the guidance stating, “screening for adults for depression with systems in place to assure accurate diagnosis, effective treatment and follow-up.”

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.

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
PCMH 2017

5.24.2018 KM 02 What if the patient answers “No” or does not want to provide information?

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. 

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
PCMH 2017

5.24.2018 KM 02 What is the required frequency for a patient health assessment

NCQA does not prescribe a frequency; practices determine the time frame for conducting and updating patient health assessments according to a protocol that suits their patient population, aligns with evidence-based guidelines and allows for meaningful evaluation of data.

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
PCMH 2017

5.24.2018 QI 02 What do you mean by “resource stewardship”?

By resource stewardship, we mean ensuring responsible use of resources while providing high quality, efficient, patient-centered primary care as it relates measures affecting health care costs and care coordination.

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
PCMH 2017

5.24.2018 KM 02 Is there a percentage threshold requirement for the 9 items within KM 02

No. The evidence required for KM 02 does not require a report. The practice should outline how it collects and documents this information in its documented process. For evidence of implementation, the practice can demonstrate its process during the virtual check-in, which may include sharing where the information is documented in the patient record.

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
PCMH 2017

5.24.2018 KM 16 Isn’t supplying information on all new prescriptions redundant since the same information is provided by a pharmacy?

No. Although it may be duplicate information, practices cannot assume that the pharmacy provided the information to the patient. Communication and partnership with patients are critical functions of the patient-centered medical home, and practices must ensure that patients/families/caregivers understand why medication was prescribed and its benefits and potential harms to the patient. Additionally, patients might not review prescription information provided by a pharmacy, and information might not be tailored to the needs of the patient/family/caregiver.

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
PCMH 2017

5.24.2018 CM 02 How do practices produce the report required for CM 02? How does it relate to CM 01?

CM 02 requires practices to create a process using criteria defined in CM 01 to identify patients for care management. The practice may use any method to identify these patients. For CM 02, practices need only provide a report showing the percentage of patients calculated from the number of patients identified using the defined criteria (numerator) in comparison to the entire patient population (denominator).
Note: Practices select at least three categories (CM 01) to define the subset of the patient population for care management for CM 02, and identify a population for care management (at least 30 patients) so they can report the criteria outlined in Competency B. Patients across the categories identified in CM 01 should be represented in the population identified for CM 02.
 

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
PCMH 2017

5.24.2018 CM 01E What constitutes a referral by the patient/family/caregiver?

Patients, caregivers or family members are not likely to request care management services unless they are health care professionals; however, caregivers or family members may acknowledge the patient’s inability to self-manage care or to follow clinician instructions, or a patient may acknowledge his or her own inability to manage care, and that might lead a practice to consider the patient for care management services.

For example, children of a widower who relied on his spouse to help him manage a chronic condition might alert the practice that their father cannot manage his care and that they are not in a position to provide help.

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
PCMH 2017

5.24.2018 CM 02 If a patient sample for the Record Review Workbook includes both pediatric and adult patients, do practices need to provide an example of each patient population for each criterion?

No. Practices with a patient sample that includes both pediatric and adult patients for reporting provide at least one pediatric example and at least one adult example for the criteria outlined in Competency B, but are not required to provide a pediatric example and an adult example for each criterion.

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
PCMH 2017

5.24.2018 CM 02 How do practices select the patient population for Competency B?

Practices use the patients identified in CM 02 as the denominator for criteria in Competency B. To earn credit for each criterion, practices must document the required information for at least 75 percent of those patients. For evidence, practices must either complete the Record Review Workbook or submit a report.

  • Practices that submit the Record Review Workbook must provide an example of each criterion, demonstrating how providing information is documented in the medical record.
  • Practices that submit a report must provide a report with at least three months of recent data showing the number of patients who had the criterion-specific information documented in their medical record (numerator) out of the total number of patients identified in CM 02 (denominator).

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
PCMH 2017

5.24.2018 CM 01D What are examples of social determinants of health?

Social determinants of health are conditions in the environment that affect a wide range of health, functioning and quality-of-life outcomes and risks and include:

  • Availability of resources to meet daily needs.
  • Access to educational, economic and job opportunities.
  • Public safety, social support.
  • Social norms and attitudes.
  • Exposure to crime, violence and social disorder.
  • Socioeconomic conditions.
  • Residential segregation.

Source: Healthy People 2020: http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/social-determinants-health.
 

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
PCMH 2017