Contrary to its name, a Patient-Centered Medical Home, or PCMH, is not a physical home. Think of it, instead, as a care team “hub” that provides comprehensive, patient-centered, coordinated, accessible, and high-quality care. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) does a great job defining the term. Their definition is lengthy, but well worth the read if you’re just starting to learn about the PCMH model, which is one form of Value Based Care.
PCMH Recognition
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) evaluates and recognizes practices that meet its standards. Transforming into a PCMH isn’t easy, though, and doing so presents numerous challenges for physician practices. These include the need to redesign workflows to support team-based care, integrate a variety of different care providers, and fully utilize EHR systems for care coordination and patient tracking. Additionally, engaging patients and their families in care planning and decision-making processes can be challenging.
Why Do It?
Not achieving PCMH recognition can result in missed financial incentives and a competitive disadvantage in today’s evolving healthcare landscape. Without transitioning to a PCMH model, practices risk missing opportunities to improve patient outcomes and achieve higher satisfaction rates. Furthermore, fragmented care can lead to poorer health outcomes, higher healthcare costs, and lower patient loyalty.
Where To Start
First, understand PCMH accreditation criteria so you can assess your practice’s operations to identify gaps where you don’t meet standards. If you like DIY, the NCQA has a great video that will help you obtain standards (for free or at a nominal cost) to perform a self-assessment. Or contact us to help with an assessment.
You may need to redesign workflows to support comprehensive team-based care that includes other healthcare providers and community resources. You’ll need care coordination plans to effectively manage patients with chronic conditions and meet quality metrics. You will definitely want advanced data analytics tools to track patient outcomes and costs. And you’ll need to engage patients and their families in care planning and decision-making processes. Ensure your EHR can accommodate your PCMH care coordination plans, quality metrics, data analytics, and patient engagement needs.
Providing training and education for staff and patients on PCMH principles and practices is a must. Obtaining PCMH recognition through a well-known accreditation body isn’t required but will help achieve your goals and access financial incentives.
How HealthNET Can Help
HealthNET Systems Consulting can help you through the entire process – from assessment to implementation to accreditation. We can guide you through the PCMH recognition process, helping to redesign workflows and integrate a team-based care approach. We are data analytics experts, so we can help you with tools to track outcomes and costs. We’ll help determine if your EHR system can support your PCMH needs, and we can provide training and education to staff. We can also assist in engaging patients and families, ensuring everyone understands the principles and practices of a Patient-Centered Medical Home.
If you’d like to achieve PCMH recognition, better patient outcomes, higher satisfaction rates, and reduce overall costs, contact us today to learn how we can help.
Blog Post Author:
Karen Mingain, PMP, Director
HealthNET Consulting
Karen Mingain is a Project Manager with more than 25 years of expertise leading successful implementation and optimization projects throughout the healthcare industry — at inpatient acute care facilities, ambulatory clinics, physician practices, home health, as well as CVS Health and Massachusetts eHealth Collaborative. A strategic planner who helps organizations increase efficiency, reduce costs, improve resource management, and optimize processes to boost productivity and achieve clients’ strategic goals.
