FAQs: Patient-Centered Specialty Practice Recognition Program

What is the Patient-Centered Specialty Practice (PCSP) Recognition Program?

The PCSP Recognition program is designed to improve quality and patient experiences. The program focuses on coordinating and sharing information among primary care clinicians and specialists. It requires clinicians to organize care around patients—across all clinicians seen by a patient. Patients and their families or other caregivers are included in planning care and as partners in managing conditions.

How does the PCSP Recognition help my organization?

NCQA’s PCSP Recognition program is designed to improve quality while reducing the redundancies and negative patient experiences associated with poorly coordinated care. PCSP recognition focuses on proactive coordination and sharing of information. Everyone in the practice works as a team to coordinate care with primary care, other referring clinicians, community resources and ancillary services. In addition, PCSPs lead to happier patients and staff, which has a positive effect on patient satisfaction scores.

What are the requirements for PCSP Recognition?

The PCSP standards and guidelines document contains PCSP Recognition program requirements and information your practice needs to demonstrate to NCQA that you meet criteria. Refer to the PCSP concepts and criteria within this document, available for free download from the NCQA store. This document contains tables with criteria and information about evidence your practice must submit to NCQA.

Where can I find the Standards and Guidelines?

The Standards & Guidelines document is the publication that contains the requirements for recognition. You can download this document for free through the NCQA eStore.

What organizations are eligible for the PCSP Recognition Program?

All types of medical specialties or subspecialties are eligible, including specialists who see patients infrequently or clinicians who receive referrals from PCPs and other non-primary care specialists. View eligibility details.

What is the process for earning NCQA PCSP Recognition?

To become an NCQA-Recognized Patient-Centered Specialty Practice, a specialty practice learns the NCQA PCSP concepts and required criteria and begins the transformation process. NCQA conducts online virtual reviews to gauge the practice’s progress and discuss the next steps in the evaluation. Learn more about the process.

What is the price for NCQA PCSP Recognition?

Pricing varies based on practice size, number of specialties and number of practice sites. View pricing.

How long will it take to earn PCSP Recognition?

Since practices work at their own pace it varies, but typically it takes 9 to 12 months. You should enroll in Q-PASS approximately 6-9 months prior to the date by which you want to earn recognition.

How do I get started?

If your practice is not currently recognized and is interested in learning more about NCQA Recognition, contact NCQA. If your practice is currently recognized and wants to talk to someone about its current status, renewing or adding recognitions, submit a question through My NCQA.

Go to the Get Resources section on the NCQA website for everything you need to move forward with the PCSP recognition process.

What other organizations have earned Patient-Centered Specialty Practice Recognition?

More than 13,000 primary and specialty care practices (with more than 67,000 clinicians) have earned NCQA Recognition. Find a directory of recognized organizations at the NCQA Report Card.