Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH)

Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH)

The Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) is a way to improve health care in America by transforming how primary care is organized and delivered. Building on the work of a large and growing community, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) defines a medical home not simply as a place but as a model of the organization of primary care that delivers the core functions of primary health care.

The medical home encompasses five functions and attributes:

• Comprehensive Care

• Patient-Centered

• Coordinated Care

• Accessible Services

• Quality and Safety

• 
  

Why PCMH is Important

The primary care medical home coordinates care across all elements of the broader health care system, including specialty care, hospitals, home health care, and community services. A key element of the PCMH model is engaging patients and caregivers in their care. The PCMH model reiterates team-based care and thorough communication. This has been proven to lead to better care.

What you can expect

Team-based care under the PCMH model has the potential to improve the overall quality and comprehensiveness of primary care. However, team-based approaches also may disrupt or change specific aspects of care. The PCMH model currently offers or coordinates many of the services required for patients with complex needs and helps primary care practices successfully transition to patient-centered team-based care.