You are looking at an archived version of our site. Please visit thepcc.org for a fresh, new experience!
Month in Review: Love is Patient(s) | National Briefing Today!
Love is Patient(s) Thursday, Feburary 27th
Dear Members & Friends:
Putting patients at the heart of the medical home is a fitting February theme. The active involvement of patients and their families in care delivery not only improves the quality and safety of health care, but also lowers costs while increasing provider and patient satisfaction. Patient-centeredness is a critical component of the medical home, and cannot be achieved without including patients at every level of care delivery.
But putting patients first is still a work in progress. In an article published this week by JAMA,early results from Pennsylvania's multi-payer medical home pilot suggested limited improvements in quality and no reductions in utilization or cost. As noted in PCPCC's response to the evaluation, several key features of the patient-centered medical home (PCMH) were missing from this early snapshot, including measures related to patient engagement, satisfaction, and activation as well as integration of behavioral and mental health. As the medical home model of care evolves in light of the scientific evidence, we must not lose sight of measuring what patients and their families care about most – and PCMH recognition/certification programs should reflect this. The pilot is an opportunity to learn about what works and the JAMA study should be viewed in context, as one study among many. You can find results from 20 recent studies in our 2014 Annual Report. Another thoughtful perspective on the subject can be found in The Commonwealth Fund's Melinda Abrams' blog.
One important means to engage patients and improve outcomes can be found through community health worker/peer support programs. We hope you'll join us for our Monthly National Briefing today: Integrating Peer Support in Primary Care where Edwin B. Fisher, PhD, Global Director of Peers for Progress and Leticia Ibarra, MPH, Director of Programs at Clinicas de Salud del Pueblo, Inc., will discuss how peer support can enhance primary care, chronic disease management, behavioral health and more.
* As a reminder, our National Briefings now take place via webinar and require registration.
National Briefing Information:
February, 27 | 1PM ET - 2PM ET Register (for free!) here. Download presentation slides here. New JAMA article reports positive peer support outcomes.
Please join the PCPCC as we urge Congress to repair the flawed US health care payment system, beginning with Medicare. The PCPCC has drafted this template letter requesting swift action on the “SGR Repeal and Medicare Provider Payment Modernization Act of 2014” and encouraging Congress to continue working together to pass this landmark legislation before March 31, which is when the current extension of the Medicare payment formula including SGR expires.
We encourage your organization to customize this letter and add your voice in support of Medicare payment reform, the medical home model of care and a health care delivery system that rewards quality, efficiency, and innovation.
The PCPCC is now accepting new submissions to its Patient Centered Primary Care Training Database. Led by PCPCC's Education & Training Task Force, the database includes 100+ health professional training programs that are supporting students, residents, clinicians and health professionals in their efforts to deliver primary care that is patient-centered, interprofessional and collaborative.
Our February webinar focused on the evolving role that consumers play in the health care marketplace and provided an overview of the Consumer eHealth Readiness Tool (CeRT). Access slides and listen to recording here.
Upcoming PCPCC Conferences
Sixth Annual National Medical Home Summit
March 17-19, 2014 l Philadelphia, PA
Co-hosted by PCPCC and the Thomas Jefferson University School of Population Health Register with discount code "PCPCC" here.
Health Care Transformation:
Overcoming Challenges to Reach the Summit
June 9 - 10, 2014 | Denver, CO Register Today! Early Bird Registration ends April 18th!
Patient-Centered Primary Care:
At the Heart of Value and Quality
November 12-14, 2014 | Washington, DC
Registration coming soon!
Learn more here.
Minnesota's Health Care Home Program Cuts Costs and Improves Quality
Last month, a Minnesota Department of Health report found that Minnesota's Health Care Home (HCH) Initiative resulted in lowered costs, improved quality, and reduced emergency department (ED) visits. Medicaid expenditures were 9.2% lower for patients who received care from the HCH program compared to enrollees in non-HCH clinics.
The study also found that the quality of care provided in an HCH was higher than non-HCH clinics for most assessed quality measures, and that patients enrolled in an HCH visited the ED on average 6.7% less than non-HCH patients.
The study analyzed differences in cost, access, and quality/enrollee experience outcomes among patients enrolled in HCH certified and HCH eligible but non-certified clinics between July 2010 through December 2012.
Integrating behavioral health into primary care and medical home settings is critical to achieving the triple aim of improving the health care quality and outcomes while reducing costs. We hope you'll join the PCPCC during the month of March for learning events focused on the important topic of behavioral health.
PCPCC's March National Briefing: Information Sharing between Behavioral Health and Primary Care
Thursday, March 27 | 12PM - 1PM ET* *One Hour Earlier Registration coming soon!
Welcome New PCPCC Members!
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey provides a wide array of medical, dental, and prescription insurance products and services to more than 500,000 members. Horizon has a number of patient-centered programs, including PCMHs, ACOs and programs focused on Episodes of Care. (www.horizonblue.com)
The REACH Healthcare Foundation addresses the health care needs of medically indigent and underserved individuals in Kansas and Missouri. The REACH Foundation invests in health programs, capacity, advocacy and community collaboration to improve access and care quality. (www.reachhealth.org)
May webinar highlights: “The Commercial Market: Alternative Payment Models for Primary Care” Nate Murray explains w… https://t.co/KX9Wi2w6oY —
1 year 8 months ago