Through PCDC’s assistance, 800 primary care practice sites have achieved National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Patient-Centered Medical Home recognition — 77 percent of them just in the last 18 months. 

The Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model improves care by transforming how primary care is organized and delivered. Through a team-based approach, PCMH ensures that patients receive appropriate care when they need it, with emphasis on respect, dignity, and interconnectedness among the patient’s extended care team.

A growing body of evidence shows that the model also significantly reduces health care costs. 

“We’re so proud of our dedicated quality-improvement experts for this major milestone,” said Deborah Johnson Ingram, Senior Director of Performance Improvement and the Lead for PCDC’s PCMH work. “The team’s earlier experiences ‘in the trenches’ at health care sites enable them to be highly effective with our partner providers’ transformation efforts. The objective is long-term sustainability of newly adopted policies and protocols.” 

To achieve PCMH recognition for their respective sites, primary care staff worked closely with PCDC in examining, improving, and transforming care delivery. Among the areas addressed were expanding patient access to a personal physician and care team; improving care coordination and information sharing between primary care, behavioral health, and specialty care; and increasing the use of performance data to drive continuous performance improvement.

“This latest milestone is a testament to our team’s partner-first approach and our partner providers’ commitment to quality,” said Isaac Kastenbaum, Managing Director of PCDC’s Performance Improvement Team. “An increase in PCMH-recognized practices means better health outcomes for millions of patients and improved financial viability for all providers involved. We look forward to continuing to support these providers in improving their practices’ business operations and their communities’ health.” 

Since 2008, PCDC’s content experts have provided strategic leadership, practice coaching, and technical assistance to community health centers, hospital outpatient departments, private practices, AIDS service organizations, community-based organizations, and behavioral health providers across the country.