From ‘My’ Patient to ‘Our’ Patient: How New Models Are Transforming Care in Central Pennsylvania

The PCMH model engages providers to partner with patients to help them achieve their health goals — rather than merely treating patients when they have illnesses or injuries.

“This is a paradigm shift in health care,” notes Karen Jones, MD, FACP, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of the WellSpan Medical Group. “It’s very different from the way we practiced medicine in the last century. Before, physicians concentrated on patients who came to the office seeking care, and there wasn’t much focus on patients who weren’t present. Now, WellSpan Health is transforming care delivery to optimize the health of individual patients and populations. Patients and families are engaged with a care team led by the primary care provider to optimize their health during the visit and between office visits. For example, if a patient is overdue for needed care, we’ll send them a letter or give them a call. We take every opportunity to make sure patients are up to date on their medical care.”

In today’s evolving healthcare landscape, the PCMH model allows for better care delivery than traditional constructs can offer.