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Survey vendors Lose PCF PEC Survey Dashboard Access on May 1, 2025
Other AnnouncementsPosted April 10, 2025

On May 1, 2025, survey vendors will lose access to their PCF PEC Survey vendor dashboard. Survey vendors will no longer be able to log into the PEC Survey website after this date. The PCF PEC Survey website will remain active after this date and vendors will still be able to access publicly available information such as the FAQ pages, Announcements, and survey protocols and materials information.

As we recently shared in this announcement, the PEC Survey for the 2025 performance year was canceled. Vendors may still provide your practices with client-level reports based on their PY 2024 data. Vendors are required to follow the requirements for vendor-provided client reports found in Section 8.4 of the Quality Assurance Guidelines. CMS will release the official PY 2024 PCF PEC Survey report to all practices via the PCF Practice Portal in June 2025.

If you have any questions, please contact the PCF PEC Survey team via email at pcfpecs@rti.org or call 1-833-997-2715.

PCF PECS Model Termination
Other AnnouncementsPosted March 28, 2025

On March 12, 2025, the CMS Innovation Center announced updates to its model portfolio to better align with its statutory mandate and strategic goals. The Innovation Center regularly evaluates models based on projected savings, quality outcomes, compliance with legal requirements, and operational feasibility.

Following this evaluation, the Center decided to conclude the Primary Care First (PCF) model one year earlier than originally planned. Consequently, the PCF model will now end on December 31, 2025, for both Cohort 1 and Cohort 2 participants. As a result of this accelerated timeline, the PEC Survey for the 2025 performance year has been canceled, effective immediately. PCF practices are no longer required to authorize a vendor or submit patient rosters.

PCF practices who participated in the PY 2024 PEC Survey will receive the PCF PEC Summary Score reports in June. If vendors wish to provide their practice clients with their own reports for PY 2024, you may still do so assuming your reports comply with the requirements found in Section 8.4 of the Quality Assurance Guidelines.

The PCF PEC Survey team greatly appreciates each vendor’s contributions to the PCF PEC Survey’s successes since the beginning of the PCF Model. We value your partnership and thank you for all of your efforts.

If you have any questions, please contact the PCF PEC Survey team via email at pcfpecs@rti.org or call 1-833-997-2715. If you receive questions from your practice clients about this update, please refer them to PCF Support via email at PCF@telligen.com or by phone at 1-888-517-7753.

PY 2024 PCF PEC Survey Interviewer Monitoring Documentation Due January 31, 2025
Other AnnouncementsPosted January 24, 2025

The deadline for submitting interviewer monitoring documentation is January 31, 2025, at 7:59pm Eastern. Please see this quick link for instructions on how to submit your documentation via the PCF PEC Survey website.

Survey vendors must randomly monitor a minimum of 10 percent of all interviewer-conducted calls (including completes and non-completes). Vendors should submit documentation confirming they have met the 10 percent monitoring requirement over the course of the PCF PEC Survey data collection. To reduce the reporting burden, we recommend that vendors submit only one of the following items as their monitoring documentation:

Individual monitoring sheets documenting the interviewers who were monitored throughout the field period.
- Interviewers may be identified via name or ID number.
- Scored monitoring sheets developed by the vendor; or
- Monitoring forms as supplied on the PEC Survey website.
Monitoring logs showing the date of all interviewer-conducted calls monitored.
- The monitoring log can be electronic (e.g., MS Excel) or a scanned version of a handwritten log kept by the vendor.
Other system-generated reports from the vendor that provide documentation of their monitoring activities with an indication of the percentage of calls monitored.

At a minimum, the documentation that a vendor submits must include:

the date of the monitoring session,
the monitor’s name or ID number,
the number of calls monitored per session, and
the total number of calls conducted by a live interviewer.

Please see section 5.6.9 of the Quality Assurance Guidelines for more information on interviewer monitoring documentation requirements.

Upon receipt of each vendor’s documentation, the PCF PEC Survey team will review the documentation to determine if it meets the requirements for the PCF PEC Survey. We will provide feedback to each vendor regarding their monitoring process and changes needed to their process or QAP. If necessary, a Corrective Action Plan will be put in place to address any deficiencies in the vendor’s monitoring process.

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

PY 2024 PCF PEC Survey Final Data Submission Due TODAY
Data SubmissionPosted January 17, 2025

The deadline for submitting the final data file to the PCF PECS website is TODAY Friday, January 17, 2025 at 7:59 PM ET. Please see this quick link for instructions on uploading the final data file. Data submission resources are available on the PCF PECS website. Note the important points provided below.

Vendors should start submitting their data files as soon as the window opens to allow adequate time to re-submit data, if needed. The data submission site opened on December 18, 2024. Vendors may submit files as many times as needed as long as the final file submission is successfully uploaded by the deadline.
It is recommended that vendors use the XML Schema Validation Tool available on the Data Submission tab of the website. This online tool will allow survey vendors to "pretest" their XML files to determine if they will pass many of the validation steps, before actually uploading the file to the Data Submission Tool.
It is recommended that files include the name of the vendor in the file name. Example: RTI_ZZ9900_2024.xml.
Vendors can select either a single XML file or a single ZIP file that contains 1 XML file each from multiple practice sites. Do not include more than 1,500 XML files in a single zip file.
Vendors should review their Vendor Authorization Report to make sure that all client practice sites have authorized their organization to submit data on their behalf.
Each time a data file for a vendor is submitted, it overwrites any previously submitted data for that same vendor.
Vendors must submit an XML data file for all practices and include each sample member even if sample members have not completed the PEC Survey. Please use the disposition 250 (No Response After Maximum Attempts) for those cases where the patient could not be reached during the data collection period.
Vendors must not use code 270 (pending) for the final data submission.
After each file upload, vendors will receive an email confirmation.
All submitted files will go through validation checks. Vendors will receive a second e-mail confirmation message after the validation check. This message will notify the vendor whether the file has been accepted or rejected. The confirmation e-mail message will contain a hyperlink to a Data Submission Report, which shows details of the validation check and any file errors that were identified.
Vendors can access the Data Submission Reports on the project website by selecting "History" through the "Data Submission Reports" link in the Data Submission menu.
If you do not receive an e-mail message confirming that your file was successfully uploaded, an e-mail message providing the results of the validation checks, or you cannot view the Data Submission Reports on files that you have submitted, please contact the PCF PECS Team via e-mail at pcfpecs@rti.org.

CMS will not accept any data files for the final submission received after 7:59 PM Eastern Time on January 17, 2025.

For additional information about data file preparation and data submission processes, please review Chapter 7 of the Quality Assurance Guidelines available under the Survey and Protocols tab on the PCF PECS website. Vendors should contact the PCF PECS Team via e-mail at pcfpecs@rti.org or call 1-833-997-2715 if they have any questions or trouble submitting data files.pcfpecs@rti.org or call 1-833-997-2715 if they have any questions or trouble submitting data files.

RTI International will be closed on January 20
Other AnnouncementsPosted January 15, 2025

RTI International will be closed on Monday, January 20, 2025, for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The PCF PECS Team will respond to email and telephone inquiries that are received on that date after RTI re-opens on Tuesday, January 21, 2025.

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

PCF PEC Survey Final Data Submission Due 1/17
Data SubmissionPosted January 3, 2025

The deadline for submitting the final data file to the PCF PECS website is 7:59 PM ET on Friday, January 17, 2025. Please see this quick link for instructions on uploading the final data file. Data submission resources are available on the PCF PECS website. Note the important points provided below.

Vendors should start submitting their data files as soon as the window opens to allow adequate time to re-submit data, if needed. The data submission site opened on December 18, 2024. Vendors may submit files as many times as needed as long as the final file submission is successfully uploaded by the deadline.
It is recommended that vendors use the XML Schema Validation Tool available on the Data Submission tab of the website. This online tool will allow survey vendors to "pretest" their XML files to determine if they will pass many of the validation steps, before actually uploading the file to the Data Submission Tool.
It is recommended that files include the name of the vendor in the file name. Example: RTI_ZZ9900_2024.xml.
Vendors can select either a single XML file or a single ZIP file that contains 1 XML file each from multiple practice sites. Do not include more than 1,500 XML files in a single zip file.
Vendors should review their Vendor Authorization Report to make sure that all client practice sites have authorized their organization to submit data on their behalf.
Each time a data file for a vendor is submitted, it overwrites any previously submitted data for that same vendor.
Vendors must submit an XML data file for all practices and include each sample member even if sample members have not completed the PEC Survey. Please use the disposition 250 (No Response After Maximum Attempts) for those cases where the patient could not be reached during the data collection period.
Vendors must not use code 270 (pending) for the final data submission.
After each file upload, vendors will receive an email confirmation.
All submitted files will go through validation checks. Vendors will receive a second e-mail confirmation message after the validation check. This message will notify the vendor whether the file has been accepted or rejected. The confirmation e-mail message will contain a hyperlink to a Data Submission Report, which shows details of the validation check and any file errors that were identified.
Vendors can access the Data Submission Reports on the project website by selecting "History" through the "Data Submission Reports" link in the Data Submission menu.
If you do not receive an e-mail message confirming that your file was successfully uploaded, an e-mail message providing the results of the validation checks, or you cannot view the Data Submission Reports on files that you have submitted, please contact the PCF PECS Team via e-mail at pcfpecs@rti.org.

CMS will not accept any data files for the final submission received after 7:59 PM Eastern Time on January 17. Please note that Monday, January 20 is a holiday and RTI will be closed.

For additional information about data file preparation and data submission processes, please review Chapter 7 of the PCF PECS Quality Assurance Guidelines available under the Survey and Protocols tab on the PCF PECS website. The full data collection schedule is also on the PECS website. Vendors should contact the PCF PECS Team via e-mail at pcfpecs@rti.org or call 1-833-997-2715 if they have any questions or trouble submitting data files.

RTI will be closed 12/25 & 1/1
Other AnnouncementsPosted December 20, 2024

The PCF PEC Survey Team announces the following upcoming holiday closures:

Wednesday, December 25, 2024 (reopening Thursday, December 26, 2024)

Wednesday, January 1, 2025 (reopening Thursday, January 2, 2025)

The PCF PECS Team will respond to email and telephone inquiries that are received on those dates promptly upon reopening.

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

PCF PEC Survey Final Data Submission Due 1/17/25
Data SubmissionPosted December 18, 2024

Data collection for the PY 2024 PCF Patient Experience of Care (PEC) Survey ended Tuesday, December 17, 2024. Any mail returns received after December 17 should not be included in your final data submission.

The final data submission window is now open and the deadline for submitting the final data file to the PCF PECS website is January 17, 2025 at 7:59 PM ET. Please see this quick link for instructions on uploading the final data file. Data submission resources are available on the PCF PECS website. Note the important points provided below.

Survey vendors should start submitting their data files as soon as the window opens to allow adequate time to re-submit data, if needed. The data submission site will open on December 18, 2024. Vendors may submit files as many times as needed as long as the final file submission is successfully uploaded by the deadline.
It is recommended that vendors use the XML Schema Validation Tool available on the Data Submission tab of the website. This online tool will allow survey vendors to "pretest" their XML files to determine if they will pass many of the validation steps, before actually uploading the file to the Data Submission Tool.
It is recommended that files include the name of the vendor in the file name. Example: RTI_ZZ9900_2024.xml.
Survey vendors can select either a single XML file or a single ZIP file that contains 1 XML file each from multiple practice sites. Do not include more than 1,500 XML files in a single zip file.
Vendors should review their Vendor Authorization Report to make sure that all client practice sites have authorized their organization to submit data on their behalf.
Each time a data file for a vendor is submitted, it overwrites any previously submitted data for that same vendor.
Vendors must submit an XML data file for all practices and include each sample member even if sample members have not completed the PEC Survey. Please use the disposition 250 (No Response After Maximum Attempts) for those cases where the patient could not be reached during the data collection period.
Vendors must not use code 270 (pending) for the final data submission.
After each file upload, vendors will receive an email confirmation.
All submitted files will go through validation checks. After the validation check is conducted, vendors will receive a second e-mail confirmation message. This message will notify the vendor whether the file has been accepted or rejected. The confirmation e-mail message will contain a hyperlink to a Data Submission Report, which shows details of the validation check and any file errors that were identified.
Survey vendors can access the Data Submission Reports on the project website by selecting "History" through the "Data Submission Reports" link in the Data Submission menu.
If you do not receive an e-mail message confirming that your file was successfully uploaded, an e-mail message providing the results of the validation checks, or you cannot view the Data Submission Reports on files that you have submitted, please contact the PCF PECS Team via e-mail at pcfpecs@rti.org.

CMS will not accept any data files for the final submission received after 7:59 PM Eastern Time on January 17, 2025. Please note that Monday, January 20, 2025 is a holiday and RTI will be closed.

PCF PECS Interviewer Training & HIPAA Documentation Due 12/6
Other AnnouncementsPosted December 3, 2024

All documentation of PCF PEC Survey Telephone Interviewer training and HIPAA training is due on December 6, 2024. In your submission, please include the training and certification dates for all of your telephone interviewers that work on the PCF PEC Survey and their HIPAA training and certification.

Using the table below, please submit your documentation to the PCF PEC Survey team by the deadline.

Vendor Name:
Training
Date(s) of Training
Total # of English-speaking interviewers trained
Total # of Spanish-speaking interviewers trained
Certification
Total # of English-speaking interviewers certified
Total # of Spanish-speaking interviewers certified
Please confirm that all interviewers completed HIPAA training and have signed Confidentiality Agreements on file (see section 9.5.2 of the QAG) by typing YES in the space provided.

If you hold additional training sessions after December 6, 2024, please resubmit the table above with the updated information regarding training dates and total numbers of interviewers trained and certified with your interviewer monitoring documentation by January 31, 2025.

If you have questions, please contact the PCF PEC Survey team at pcfpecs@rti.org or call 1-833-997-2715.

RTI International will be closed on 11/28 & 11/29 for the Thanksgiving Holiday
Other AnnouncementsPosted November 21, 2024

RTI International will be closed on Thursday, November 28, and Friday, November 29, 2024, for the Thanksgiving holiday. The PCF PECS Team will respond to email and telephone inquiries that are received on those dates after RTI re-opens on Monday, December 2, 2024.

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

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