News
WHITTIER’s URGENT CARE CLINIC IS NOW AN NCQA Recognized Patient-Centered Connected Care™ site
On July 7, 2014, the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) released standards for a proposed program to evaluate ambulatory care clinics (e.g. urgent care clinics) that provide patient-centered care and work in conjunction with patient-centered medical homes. The Whittier team led by Adeola Ogungbadero, VP of Clinical Support Services, Ahmad Al-Musa and the Urgent Care team submitted our application to the NCQA and we received notification that we our Urgent Care Clinic has received the PCCC recognition. By being an NCQA recognized Urgent Care Clinic, we:
Demonstrate Quality, Patient-Centered Care
NCQA’s Patient-Centered Connected CareTM Recognition program supports clinical integration and communication, creating a roadmap for how sites delivering intermittent or outpatient treatment such as Whittier’s Urgent Care Clinic—but do not act as a primary care provider for a majority of its patients—can effectively communicate and connect with primary care and fit into the medical home “neighborhood.” The recognition program:
- Supports use of evidence-based guidelines in treating patients.
- Provides a consensus-driven framework for how non-PCMH and non-specialty sites (our Urgent Care Clinic) fit within the medical home neighborhood and how they connect to primary care.
- Helps entities become a part of the medical home neighborhood, resulting in better outcomes and improved patient experience.
- Improves trust among providers.
- Helps reduce waste in the health care system, such as duplication of procedures and unnecessary readmissions or hospitalizations.
- NCQA Recognition programs evaluate delivery and coordination of care to ensure that patients receive the right care, in the right amount, at the right time. Sites awarded an NCQA seal demonstrate that they deliver quality care using the latest clinical protocols.
In addition, we have been a Level 3 Patient Centered Medical Home since 2012!