Imagine having a team of health care professionals dedicated to keeping you healthy year-round by preventing the onset of diseases and managing your chronic medical conditions to avoid costly complications and hospitalizations.
That’s the mission of thousands of primary care practices nationwide that have embraced the “patient centered medical home” model that emphasizes prevention and disease management. Advocates say medical homes have the potential to improve quality, cut costs and reduce health inequities among all patients.
Because new payment models require effective and seamless care coordination among providers, new methods of delivering care have also been experiments in the living laboratory. Two in particular have become especially prominent.
Inside a converted fruit warehouse near the Grand River in Grand Rapids sit several specialists on the front lines of ensuring that young children get a healthy start in life.
They work for Health Net of West Michigan, a nonprofit community healthcare hub that connects families with doctors and other community services in the Grand Rapids area. One of Health Net's primary tasks seems simple at first glance - making sure low-income children have a primary care physician.
