MILWAUKEE – Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin announced today that its pediatric urgent care centers are the first in the nation to receive NCQA Patient-Centered Connected Care Recognition. The Washington, D.C.-based National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) gave the recognition to Children’s for demonstrating that it connects the care it delivers back to its patients’ primary care team in a structured and timely manner.
NCQA Patient-Centered Connected Care Recognition is awarded to sites that provide outpatient care for patients experiencing acute/episodic illness, but do not act as the patient’s primary care provider. The program is a roadmap for delivering evidence-based, patient-centered care that focuses on closing care gaps to ensure that relevant patient information is connected with the primary care physician. Its requirements also support communication with secondary providers for patients receiving long-term specialty care.
“We are very excited that our pediatric urgent care centers were recognized as Patient-Centered Connected Care sites,” said Dr. Smriti Khare, president of Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin Primary Care. “This is a brand new recognition through the NCQA, and we were one of 72 pilot sites nationally this year.
Our urgent care centers are the very first to be recognized in the country.”
“NCQA Patient-Centered Connected Care Recognition expands best practices in the delivery of high-quality care by connecting care across the medical home neighborhood,” said NCQA President Margaret E. O’Kane. “Recognition shows that Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin has the tools, systems and resources to provide its patients with the right care, while ensuring that care is communicated clearly and efficiently with the team of clinicians charged to manage their overall health.”
To earn recognition, which is valid for three years, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin earned the necessary scores across five standards and their corresponding elements.
The standards examine:
- Connecting with primary care: The site connects with and shares information with patients’ primary care providers and helps them find a primary care provider if they don’t have one.
- Identifying patient needs: The site directs patients to appropriate providers when necessary.
- Patient care and support: The site uses evidence-based decision support in care delivery, collaborates with patients to make care decisions and delivers culturally and linguistically appropriate services.
- System capabilities: The site uses electronic systems to collect data and execute specific tasks.
- Measure and improve performance: The site systematically monitors performance and carries out activities to improve clinical outcomes and patient experience.
About NCQA
NCQA is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA’s Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) is the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care. NCQA’s Web site (ncqa.org) contains information to help consumers, employers and others make more informed health care choices.
About Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin
Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin is the region’s only independent health care system dedicated solely to the health and well-being of children. The hospital, with locations in Milwaukee and Neenah, Wisconsin, is recognized as one of the leading pediatric health care centers in the United States. It is ranked in nine specialty areas in U.S. News & World Report’s 2015-16 Best Children’s Hospitals report. Children’s provides primary care, specialty care, urgent care, emergency care, community health services, foster and adoption services, child and family counseling, child advocacy services and family resource centers. In 2014, Children’s invested more than $102 million in the community to improve the health status of children through medical care, advocacy, education and pediatric medical research. Children’s achieves its mission in part through donations from individuals, corporations and foundations and is proud to be a member of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. For more information, visit the website at chw.org.