10 Kentucky Healthcare Provider Organizations have joined the Kentucky REC Inaugural Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Cohort to transform patient care in Kentucky.
On Friday, January 24, Kentucky Regional Extension Center hosted the Inaugural Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Cohort Kick-Off Meeting for 10 pioneer healthcare provider organizations in Kentucky.
Cohort members include: UK Family and Community Medicine; UK HealthCare-Georgetown; Family Medicine Clinic of Danville; Van Bussum Family Practice; Physicians Affiliated Care; Bluegrass Community Family Practice; Central Internal Medicine; Georgetown Pediatrics; Drs. Borders and Associates; and Primary Care Centers of Eastern Kentucky.
Kentucky REC will assist these practices in achieving National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) PCMH Recognition within a 15 month period. The Patient-Centered Medical Home is a way of organizing primary care that emphasizes care coordination and communication to transform primary care into “what patients want it to be.” Medical homes can lead to higher quality and lower costs, and can improve patients’ and providers’ experience of care. NCQA PCMH Recognition is the most widely-used way to transform primary care practices into medical homes.
“We are delighted to offer support to practices as they prepare for the many changes ahead in healthcare,” stated Carol Steltenkamp, MD, Director of Kentucky REC and Chief Medical Information Officer for UK HealthCare. “We are excited to announce new services to support innovative models, such as Patient-Centered Medical Home, that are proven to help practices deliver coordinated, cost-effective care for their patients.”
Kentucky REC has helped healthcare providers across the state implement electronic health records and qualify for federal incentive funds. However, electronic health records are just a start. Now, the REC is focused on helping practices prepare for the next wave of innovation by using technology together with changes in practice culture and workflow to radically improve patients’ experience of care and the effectiveness of the healthcare system overall.
Kentucky practices interested in learning more about this new initiative can contact the Kentucky REC at 859-323-3090.
Keynote Speaker, Dr. Mark Fraser, MD of Summit Family Physicians, a Level 3 NCQA Patient Centered Medical Home and Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative practice, shares his experience and provides a “Physician Perspective” to Cohort members.
