Imagine a medical practice easily accessible to patients via telephone or online, where your care is thorough, unhurried and personal. Your records are maintained electronically, making them instantly available to clinic providers and referral physicians. Coordination with specialists and community healthcare resources occurs swiftly and smoothly. You develop a care plan with your doctor and work together with your healthcare team to achieve your goals. Healthcare payers give incentives to the practice for the value of the care it delivers, rather than for the volume of care. That’s the patient-centered medical home (PCMH).
The PCMH is a reality in 16 primary care practices in Colorado that have participated in one of the nation’s first Multi-Payer, Multi-State Patient-Centered Medical Home Pilots, along with stakeholders at both local and national levels. Convened by HealthTeamWorks, the project began in 2008 and runs through 2012. It is one of many national endeavors initiated to demonstrate that resources invested in primary care result in better care, reduced cost trends and an improved experience for the patient and the healthcare team.
Tags: Colorado, HealthTeamWorks, PCMH
