NCQA updates recognition standards for medical homes

(HealthDay)—The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has updated its guidelines for patient-centered medical homes, according to an article published March 27 in Medical Economics.

The article describes the updated recognition standards of the NCQA relating to patient-centered medical homes. The guidelines focus on team-based care coordination, integration of behavioral health care, and high-need populations.

According to the article, the new requirements recognize the important role of socioeconomic status in patients' health, and note that practices should focus on high-need populations. Practices must work together with behavioral health care providers and integrate these services to receive patient-centered medical home recognition.

"This latest generation of patient-centered medical home standards is an important step in the evolution of primary care into what patients want it to be: coordinated and focused on them," said Margaret E. O'Kane, president of NCQA, according to the Medical Economics article.

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