The State of Ohio has begun work with TransforMED to transform 50 primary care practices into patient-centered medical homes (PCMH). TransforMED is a nonprofit, wholly owned subsidiary of the American Academy of Family Physicians and a national leader in medical home transformation.

The Patient-Centered Primary Care initiative recently launched by the Ohio Department of Health has the potential to improve the lives of nearly 647,000 Ohioans by providing them access to PCMH primary care practices.

In January, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), in partnership with the Governor’s Office of Health Transformation (OHT), announced that Ohio will invest $1 million to help primary care practices around the state transition to a PCMH model of care and expand the number of PCMH practice sites in Ohio.

The PCMH model of care integrates patients as active participants in their own health and well-being, and promotes partnerships between patients and their primary health care providers to improve care coordination and bolster individuals’ health outcomes. Patient care is coordinated using state-of-the-art tools, information technology, health information exchange and other means to assure that individuals get comprehensive and coordinated care when and where they need it.

Patients can benefit from an enriched quality of care practices will provide in the comprehensive, team-based, patient-centered environment of the PCMH. Proponents hope widespread PCMH adoption also will increase the number of medical students who choose to practice primary care, a critical factor in improving the health of the community while lowering health care costs. Education of medical as well as nursing and Nurse Practitioner students in PCMH best practices will further support the primary care workforce.

Behind-the-scenes work on the project has been going on since June, and the project will continue until June 2013.TransforMED will provide medical home facilitation services to accelerate adoption of the PCMH model of care and help practices earn PCMH recognition by the National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA). Practices that meet the stringent NCQA standards provide better care and better service at a reduced cost to patients and the health care system as a whole. In addition, health information technology is leveraged to give physicians better access to information and measurement tools geared toward managing and improving the health of large patient populations.

Additional TransforMED resources include:

•     PCMH assessments to identify practice expectations, define processes and clarify objectives
•     Gap analysis to identify current practice state and provide opportunities for change
•     Comprehensive transformation plan
•     Dedicated program advisers to provide guidance and feedback both virtually and on-site
•     Regional learning collaboratives to support peer-to-peer learning

Participating doctors and their staff will also have access to TransforMED’s award-winning Delta-Exchange professional social networking site that will serve as a platform for the practices to collaborate and connect with one another, exchange ideas, and share ideas related to medical home transformation.

“This initiative is another important step in reforming Ohio’s health care delivery system and giving Ohioans the quality of care they need to have good health at every stage of life,” said ODE Director Dr. Ted Wymyslo. “TransforMED is an expert in PCMH transformation, and we know medical homes leads to better health and reduces costs for individuals and taxpayers.”

Added Dr. Terry McGeeney, MD, MBA, president and CEO of TransforMED: “Everything that goes on in a practice is for the benefit of the patient, and the patient is central to all activities and decisions. However, the PCMH concept goes much further than this. It implies trust, respect, shared decision making, cultural sensitivity, mindful communication in the exam room, whole-person orientation, and a continuous relationship over time.

“We applaud the State of Ohio for their foresight and willingness to take these important first steps to provide Ohioans high quality, patient-centered primary care.”
 

About TransforMED
The Leawood, Kan.-based TransforMED LLC is a nonprofit, wholly owned subsidiary of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Established in 2005, TransforMED provides ongoing consultation and support to physicians looking to transform their practices to a new model of care that is based on the concept of a patient-centered medical home. TransforMED is an active member of primary care communities, and recognizes and supports the unique value that primary care offers to patients and the health care system. TransforMED shares and supports the idealism and altruism of primary care physicians and the strong commitment to their communities and patients through continuing patient relationships and independent decision making. TransforMED offers practices both products and services, including consultation and advice on implementing the patient-centered medical home model. To learn more about TransforMED, visit http://www.transformed.com.