JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. –
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) announced Feb. 12, 2013, that the 779th Medical Group (779 MDG) of Joint Base Andrews, Md., has received Recognition from the Patient-Centered Medical Home 2011 (PCMH 2011) program for using evidence-based, patient-centered processes that focus on highly coordinated care and long‐term participative relationships.
The patient-centered medical home is a model of care emphasizing care coordination and communication to transform primary care into "what patients want it to be." Research shows that medical homes can lead to higher quality and lower costs, and improve patients' and providers' reported experiences of care. The PCMH identifies practices that promote partnerships between individual patients and their personal clinicians, instead of treating patient care as the sum of several episodic office visits.
"We're very proud of all the units which contributed to this success, to include Population Health, Disease Management, our AHLTA/Systems team, Utilization & Referral Management, our Patient Advocate, Public Health, Lab/Radiology, and Medical Records. Of course, the lion's share of the work went to our PCMH teams, led by Lt Col Jon Geno, Flight Commander, and Col. Marcia Potter Master Clinician, Family Nurse Practitioner," said Col. Rudolph Cachuela, 779 MDG commander.
Each patient's care is tended to by clinician-led care teams, who provide for all the patient's health care needs and coordinate treatments across the health care system. Medical home clinicians demonstrate the benchmarks of patient-centered care, including open scheduling, expanded hours and appropriate use of proven health information systems.
"The patient-centered medical home raises the bar in defining high-quality care by emphasizing access, health information technology and partnerships between clinicians and patients," said NCQA President Margaret E. O'Kane. "PCMH Recognition shows that the 779 MDG has the tools, systems and resources to provide their patients with the right care at the right time."
To receive recognition, which is valid for three years, the 779 MDG has demonstrated the ability to meet the program's key elements embodying characteristics of the medical home. The standards are aligned with the joint principles of the Patient-Centered Medical Home established with the American College of Physicians, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Osteopathic Association.
The 779 MDG has met key program components in the following areas:
· Written standards for patient access and continuity of care
· Use of patient feedback materials
· Appropriate use of charting tools to track patients and organize clinical information
· Responsive care management techniques with an emphasis on preventive care for individual patients and for the entire patient population
· Adaptation to patient's cultural and linguistic needs
· Use of information technology for prescriptions, test and referral tracking and coordination with other health care providers
· Use of evidence-based guidelines to treat chronic conditions
· Measurement and reporting of clinical and service performance
To find clinicians and their practices that have been recognized by the Patient-Centered Medical Home 2011 program please visit http://recognition.ncqa.org. For further information, contact NCQA Customer Support at (888) 275-7585.
ABOUT NCQA
NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA's Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) is the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care. NCQA is committed to providing health care quality information for consumers, purchasers, health care providers and researchers.
ABOUT 79TH MEDICAL WING
The 79th Medical Wing oversees medical care at Air Force bases and worksites across the National Capital Region. Together with Army and Navy partners, the 79th MDW is fully engaged with Joint Task Force National Capital Region-Medical in the planning and delivery of integrated world-class health care. The 79 MDW is a mission partner on Joint Base Andrews with two subordinate units; the 779th Medical Group on Joint Base Andrews and the 579th Medical Group on Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling. Air Force medics also work at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, Fort Meade and the Pentagon. The 79th Medical Wing is a tenant unit on Andrews, and headquartered at Malcolm Grow Medical Clinic.
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