2022 PCF PEC Survey Quality Assurance Plan Submission Deadlines and Requirements
folder_openQuality Assurance Plancalendar_todayPosted March 18, 2022

The Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) serves as a guide for survey vendors as they develop and update their procedures and materials for implementing and complying with the Primary Care First (PCF) Patient Experience of Care (PEC) Survey Vendor Quality Assurance Guide.

Vendors must log-in to the PCF PECS web portal to submit QAPs using the "Submit Quality Assurance Plan" page under the "Vendors" tab. Step-by-step instructions are available in a Quick Link on the website here. The PCF PECS Team will review QAPs. If further clarification is needed, the PECS Team will work with the survey vendors to obtain the necessary information.

The vendor’s QAP should include the sections listed below. The requirements for these sections are detailed in the PCF PECS Vendor Model Quality Assurance Plan Outline.

• Organization Background and Staff Experience
• Work Plan
• Survey Implementation Plan
• Data Security, Confidentiality, and Privacy Plan
• Questionnaire and Materials Attachments

Please note: QAPs that do not follow this outline will be rejected and the vendor will be required to reformat and resubmit the QAP before it can be reviewed. Only QAPs that follow this outline will be considered for approval.

Approved Survey Vendors

All approved survey vendors for the PCF PEC Survey must submit a QAP by 5:00 PM ET March 18, 2022.

To ensure prompt review of your QAP, please follow the steps below:

• Locate the version of your most recently approved QAP; that is, the version that was accepted by CMS and the PCF PECS Team in 2021.
• Make a copy of that version and accept all tracked changes, creating a clean copy of your QAP.
• Make all 2022 updates to your clean copy using track changes, so that your document reflects only the changes made since your most recent approved QAP.
• Make sure to include updates to your QAP if your organization has had changes in PCF PEC Survey personnel, and/or changes to protocols or procedures.
• Make sure your QAP follows the format shown in the Model QAP posted on the PCF PECS website. Also make sure that you provide information for every topic included in the Model QAP.
• Before submitting your updated QAP, check it carefully to make sure that it reflects all PCF PEC Survey protocols disseminated via announcements posted on the PCF PECS website and/or described in the latest version of the Quality Assurance Guidelines.

New Survey Vendor Applicants

All newly invited survey vendors for the PCF PEC Survey must submit a QAP by 5:00 PM ET on March 25, 2022.

To ensure prompt review of your QAP, please follow the steps below:

• Make sure your QAP follows the format shown in the Model QAP posted on the PCF PECS website. Also make sure that you provide information for every topic included in the Model QAP.
• Before submitting your QAP, check it carefully to make sure that it reflects all PCF PEC Survey protocols disseminated via announcements posted on the PCF PECS website and/or described in the latest version of the Quality Assurance Guidelines.

The QAP must be updated and submitted annually each year and any time the vendor has a change in PCF PEC Survey personnel, capabilities, or systems that are used to administer the PCF PEC Survey. Remember that you must also update your online PCF PEC Survey Vendor Application Form if you have changed key personnel and/or subcontractors, and/or have changed your business name or location.

Vendors with questions should contact the PCF PECS Team via e-mail at pcfpecs@rti.org or call 1-833-997-2715.