Despite intent interest in patient-centered medical homes, the healthcare industry has still not established an agreed-upon definition or recognition process, according to a recent report issued by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
The National Committee for Quality Assurance established itself as the first accrediting organization to develop a patient-centered medical home recognition program in 2008. In the past year, however, other national accrediting organization shave entered the field, including the Joint Commission and Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care.
One concern is that a large number of accrediting agencies might splinter PCMH recognition, due to the agencies' prior relationships with providers and the possibility of different criteria being used in the recognition process. Due to this potential fragmentation, health insurers, including Medicare and Medicaid, will have to decide how much to rely on PCMH recognition instruments or programs.
This phase may be expected, however, since the PMCH model is a relatively new concept in healthcare and has also coincided with other innovative delivery models, such as accountable care organizations. For now, "the diversity of medical home recognition instruments is understandable and probably useful to encouraging experimentation, competition and innovation," according to the report.
Read the full-length report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation on patient-centered medical homes (pdf).
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The National Committee for Quality Assurance established itself as the first accrediting organization to develop a patient-centered medical home recognition program in 2008. In the past year, however, other national accrediting organization shave entered the field, including the Joint Commission and Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care.
One concern is that a large number of accrediting agencies might splinter PCMH recognition, due to the agencies' prior relationships with providers and the possibility of different criteria being used in the recognition process. Due to this potential fragmentation, health insurers, including Medicare and Medicaid, will have to decide how much to rely on PCMH recognition instruments or programs.
This phase may be expected, however, since the PMCH model is a relatively new concept in healthcare and has also coincided with other innovative delivery models, such as accountable care organizations. For now, "the diversity of medical home recognition instruments is understandable and probably useful to encouraging experimentation, competition and innovation," according to the report.
Read the full-length report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation on patient-centered medical homes (pdf).
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MGMA: 70% of Practices at Least Interested in Becoming Patient-Centered Medical Home