Patient-Centered Medical Home

The Patient-Centered Medical Home (PC-MH) is an approach to providing comprehensive primary care established by the...

• American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)
• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
• American College of Physicians (ACP)
• American Osteopathic Association (AOA)

These groups, representing about 333,000 physicians, created a set of 7 principles for the PC-MH:

1. Each patient is entitled to a personal physician
2. The physician is the leader of a team of individual practitioners
   
3. Whole person orientation
4. Care is coordinated and/or integrated using the latest and most appropriate technology
   
5. Quality & safety
6. Enhanced access to physicians
   
7. Payment schemes that reflect the value of the PC-MH for patients' health.
   

Indeed, since the development of this model, it has been touted as a potential solution to the challenges of providing quality health care for the entire US population. According to the Commonwealth Fund,

The Commonwealth Fund 2006 Health Care Quality Survey finds that when adults have health insurance coverage and a medical home—defined as a health care setting that provides patients with timely, well-organized care, and enhanced access to providers—racial and ethnic disparities in access and quality are reduced or even eliminated.

Find out more about this New Model for primary care at the following events at Boston University Medical School.

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, Sept. 29th, 2008 @ 12:00pm
BMC Family Medicine Grand Rounds
The Medical Home, physician reimbursement plans, and other solutions to the crisis Primary Care
Dr. Charles Williams
Dowling 1 Conference Auditorium
Free Food

Tuesday, Oct. 7th, 2008 @ 12:00pm
--National Primary Care Week--
Solutions: The Patient-Centered Medical Home
Sponsored by FMIG
Dr. Charles Williams (BMC Family Medicine) will facilitate a lunchtime discussion on the Patient Centered Medical Home as a potential solution to the crisis in primary care. Participants are encouraged to attend Dr. Williams' talk at the Family Medicine Grand Rounds.

Dr. Williams' Bio

References

• AAP National Center of Medical Home Initiatives for Children with Special Needs
  
• Fisher, ES. Building a Medical Neighborhood for the Medical Home. N Engl J Med 2008 359: 1202-1205
• TransforMED
• Closing the Divide: How Medical Homes Promote Equity in Health Care: Results From The Commonwealth Fund 2006 Health Care Quality Survey