The NCQA Policy for Test Tracking

The National Committee for Quality Assurance works to make sure that health plans meet standards established by states. The committee tracks physician performance and health provider organizations; it issues annual assessments of the state of American health care.

Patient-Centered Care

• NCQA's policies are dedicated to what is called "patient-centered care." This means a couple of things. It means that patients are encouraged to take an active role in their own health care. Also, it also means that NCQA helps patients to find their way through the health care bureaucracy.

Test-Tracking

• According to NCQA standards, a medical practice must keep a log of each of its patients. In this log, the practice must record tests that have been done, or procedures that have been performed. Additionally, the practice must inform the patient of the results--whether normal or otherwise--of his tests before the next scheduled appointment.

Technology & Test-Tracking

• NCQA also encourages medical practices to communicate with laboratories or departments to which they have sent samples or films to be analyzed. To do this, medical practices should operate computer systems that can interact with those of the labs, in order to manage results and alerts more effectively.