The Kansas University Department of Internal Medicine on Friday became one of the first places in the country to be recognized as a patient-centered specialty practice.

The National Committee for Quality Assurance recognized the department for its responsiveness to patients and medical colleagues, cooperation and integration with other health care groups, and dedication to continuous improvement.

“This recognition means that the physicians in our Department of Internal Medicine are national leaders when it comes to providing high-quality specialty care that seamlessly compliments and enhances the primary care our patients are already receiving,” Steven Stites, vice chancellor for clinical affairs at KU Medical Center, said in a news release. “It means we are the best possible specialty partners that primary care doctors could hope to have.”

This is the second time that NCQA has recognized the Department of Internal Medicine. In 2011, the department earned national recognition as a patient-centered medical home, a model of care emphasizing care coordination and communication to transform primary care.