What is the Patient-Centered Medical Home?

The Patient Centered Medical Home is a care delivery model whereby patient treatment is coordinated through their primary care physician to ensure they receive the necessary care when and where they need it, in a manner they can understand.

The objective is to have a centralized setting that facilitates partnerships between individual patients, and their personal physicians, and when appropriate, the patient’s family. Care is facilitated by registries, information technology, health information exchange and other means to assure that patients get the indicated care when and where they need and want it in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner.

Joint Guidelines for Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition and Accreditation Programs (March 2011) – These Guidelines, developed jointly by ACP, AAFP, AAP, and AOA, aim to ensure some standardization among PCMH Recognition and Accreditation Programs while encouraging a focus on the key elements of the PCMH.

Joint Principles for the Medical Education of Physicians as Preparation for Practice in the PCMH (December 2010) - These principles, developed jointly by ACP, AAFP, AAP, and AOA, will guide medical school curricula in ensuring that all physicians, regardless of their specialty choice, will have the expertise to practice in a reformed health care delivery system based on the patient-centered medical home.

In July 2010, the American College of Physicians presented a Two-Part Series entitled The Patient-Centered Medical Home: Overview of the Model and Movement describing the Patient-Centered Medical Home concept, who supports the model, where it is being tested, and results to date. Here are the slides: Download Slideset for Part I and Download Slideset for Part II.

Guidelines for PCMH Demonstration Projects: In April 2009, the primary care professional societies released a set of guidelines intended to provide direction to demonstration projects in the planning phase and to facilitate more meaningful interpretation and understanding of the "lessons learned" from the different projects.

Joint Principles of the PCMH: In March 2007, the primary care professional societies endorsed a set of joint principles. These principles have now been endorsed by a total of 22 physician organizations.

About the Author

Reed Tinsley CPA

This article is written by Reed Tinsley, a Houston, TX-based CPA with over 30 years of experience advising physicians and medical practices across Texas and the United States. Reed holds certifications as a Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA), Certified Healthcare Business Consultant (CHBC), and Certified Financial Planner (CFP), specializing exclusively in the healthcare sector. He is a published author, nationally recognized speaker, and trusted advisor to physicians on accounting & tax, practice management, and financial planning. Schedule a Free Consultation.