Table 2

Description of Primary Care Practices Studied

PracticePractice SizeaPractice TypeService AreaInitial NCQA Levelb
1SmallPrivateUrban2
2SmallFQHCSuburban1
3SmallPrivateUrban3
4MediumPrivateUrban3
5MediumPrivateSuburban3
6Solo/partnerPrivateSuburban1
7MediumFQHCUrban1
8SmallFQHCUrban1
9Solo/partnerFQHCUrban1
10LargeResidencyUrban3
11MediumResidencySuburban1
12MediumResidencyUrban1
13MediumPrivateUrban3
14SmallPrivateSuburban2
15SmallFQHCUrban1
16SmallFQHCUrban1
17MediumSystemcSuburban1
18Solo/partnerPrivateSuburban3
19MediumPrivateSuburban2
20Solo/partnerPrivateUrban1
  • FQHC = federally qualified health center; FTE = full-time equivalent; NCQA = National Committee for Quality Assurance.

  • Note: Includes the 20 practices used in this study. Five other practices were excluded because they had no data for this study.

  • a Practice size based on the number of FTE clinicians in each practice, as follows: solo/partner = 1–2 FTE clinicians; small = 3–4 FTE clinicians; medium = 5–9 FTE clinicians; large = ≥10 FTE clinicians.

  • b To achieve NCQA level 1 recognition, practices must comply with at least 5 of 10 must-pass elements in practice standards; achieving level 2 or 3 depends on overall scoring and compliance with all 10 elements (http://www.ncqa.org/portals/0/PCMH%20brochure-web.pdf).

  • c Community-based practice owned by a system.