NCQA PPC Requirements and Credentials

The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) promotes health care standards and evaluates health care providers. PPC refers to the Physician Practice Connections program, which focuses on standards for personal physicians.

Background

• NCQA released a new set of standards for its PPC program in January 2011. The new Physician Practice Connections, Patient-Centered Medical Home program, known as PPC-PCMH, builds on the PPC program initially adopted in 2006 and updated in 2008.

Preliminary Requirements

• Program participation requires basic computer capacity, including Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and Internet access. You must designate a primary contact person and you may identify a sponsor to assist you.

Recognition Process

• First, you complete two brief training sessions and conduct a self-assessment. Next, provide information about the practice using an online survey tool. Complete and submit the online application, then pay the program fee and submit your survey results for evaluation.

Standards

• NCQA evaluates practices on six standards, including access and continuity of care, patient management, care management, community factors, coordination of care and performance measurement. NCQA scores practices on their success in meeting specific elements of the standards.

Recognition

• NCQA grants three levels of "recognition" to physician's practice groups that meet PPC-PCMH standards. Top-scoring practices are rated at Level 3.