PCMHs put patients - and intelligent IT - at the center of care

I entered family medicine 15 years ago, convinced that I could heal not just my patients, but health care.  Primary care physicians are this country’s comprehensive caregivers — its eyes and ears for total health.  We offer our patients long-term relationships in a system that often favors an episodic approach to coordinated care.  I know that empowered primary care providers have the ability to create the highest levels of health and well-being this country has ever seen. But our country’s primary care infrastructure is under enormous strain. The idea of converting my practice into a patient-centered medical home (PCMH) came into focus as we, like many, struggled with flattening reimbursement, limited time with patients, and a payment system that rewards volume rather than value. As my practice applies for Level 3 recognition through the National Committee for Quality Assurance (the highest level a practice can attain) this year, we’ve embraced PCMH not just as a stepping stone towards payment transformation but as a noble recasting of our essential care delivery model.  It is a radical shift, but one worth making.

PCMH puts patients back at the center of care by surrounding them with a coordinated, comprehensive care team. PCMH is what health care "done right" looks like: effectively managed populations; enhanced patient care experience through access, reliability, and quality; and reduced unnecessary cost and utilization. By taking responsibility for their patients’ outcomes, these practices testify to the power of even the smallest practices to gradually bring about great change. More and more, financial incentives are being offered to those practices that have risen to the challenge, rewarding them for the value they create.