Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH)
The Patient Centered Medical Home, also known as Primary Care Medical Home, is considered patient-centered, comprehensive, team-based, coordinated, accessible, and focused on quality and safety. In 2007 this model was developed and endorsed by the Joint Principles of the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) promotes the concept.
The following is how the model is designed to operate:
Patient-Centered means there is a partnership between practitioners, patients, and the patients' families. Each of those entities respects the patients' wants, needs, and preferences and the patient has the education and support they need to make decisions for their own care.
Comprehensive means there is a team of care providers (not just one provider and one nurse like traditional models) is accountable for the physical and mental needs of the patient and is promoting health and wellness for the patient, but also participates in their care, whether it is acute or chronic.
Coordinated is organized care with all specialty, home health, hospitals, community services staff. No matter where the patient is seen or what service they need - every healthcare service organization for the patient is working together.
Accessible means the patient doesn't have long wait times and the providers are available anytime anywhere using technology.
Focused on Quality and Safety means all people assisting the patient will use technology and any other tools necessary to help the patient and their families be able to make informed decisions about their health.
For more information about PCMH, visit the AHRQ website:
http://pcmh.ahrq.gov/
If your organization wants to become recognized as a Patient Centered Medical Home, you need to visit http://www.ncqa.org/Programs/Recognition/PatientCenteredMedicalHomePCMH.aspx
They have the steps outlined to receive the training and paperwork needing in order to gain this recognition. Once you have gained the recognition, there are steps you have to keep following in order to maintain the status.