Family Medicine practices earn national recognition
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) recently recognized Ghent and Portsmouth Family Medicine practices for their Patient-Centered Medical Home model. This three-year national recognition highlights both practices for their use of patient-centered processes and their focus on highly coordinated care and long-term, participative relationships.
“NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition raises the bar in defining high-quality care by emphasizing access, health information technology and coordinated care focused on patients,” said NCQA President Margaret E. O’Kane. “Recognition shows that these practices have the tools, systems and resources to provide patients with the right care, at the right time.”
A Patient-Centered Medical Home is a model of primary care that combines teamwork and information technology to improve care, improve patients’ experience of care and reduce costs. Medical homes foster ongoing partnerships between patients and their personal clinicians. Each patient’s care is overseen by clinician-led care teams that coordinate treatment across the health care system. Research shows that medical homes can lead to higher quality and lower costs, and can improve patient and provider reported experiences of care.
To become certified as a Patient Centered Medical Home, practices must complete a rigorous, comprehensive and transparent accreditation program. It is widely recognized as the most innovative program for improving primary care, and is the highest level of certification available today.