Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH)

About PCMH

The patient-centered medical home is a model of care that puts patients at the forefront of care. PCMHs build better relationships between patients and their clinical care teams.

Research shows that PCMHs improve quality and the patient experience, and increase staff satisfaction—while reducing health care costs. Practices that earn recognition have made a commitment to continuous quality improvement and a patient-centered approach to care.

New Guidance: Modifications to Scoring for NCQA Recognition Program Evaluations

We know that many organizations are determining how recent executive orders regarding gender identity, diversity, equity and inclusion apply to their ongoing work, and are wondering how best to navigate their obligations to federal and state partners and to their members and patients.

As a federal contractor, NCQA is evaluating how the executive orders impact NCQA and our programs. We also know that many of our customers and quality partners are considering the impact of the executive orders. Our goal with this guidance is to clarify NCQA’s scoring during this rapidly evolving health policy environment. We are therefore implementing scoring modifications to certain criteria for evaluations starting on or after February 12, 2025, for the programs listed below.

• Patient-Centered Medical Home.
• Patient-Centered Specialty Practice.
• Virtual Primary and Urgent Care Accreditation.

Modifications to how NCQA scores evaluations can be viewed here.

This guidance will remain in effect until April 30, 2025, or until NCQA issues further guidance.

NCQA remains committed to driving health care quality improvement and giving patients and members access to high-quality, appropriate care that meets their unique needs.

Please submit questions via My NCQA.

Thank you for your continued partnership as we work together to improve health care quality for all.