New York State PCMH Raises the Bar: Program Adoption Sees BIG Increase!

April 24, 2019 · NCQA Communications

At NCQA, we support investing in primary care as one of the best ways to improve health care. Fortunately, the folks with the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) agree. That’s why we collaborated to create a customized PCMH program that supports its goal of improving primary care. This state-specific PCMH model gives providers an incentive to transform their practice and promote the Triple Aim of better health, lower costs and improved patient experiences.

But we wondered: Will providers answer the call?

The answer was a resounding yes!

According to the United Hospital Fund’s (UHF) annual report, providers who adopted the patient-centered medical home model increased by 35% between May 2017 and May 2018. UHF’s report focuses on that recent growth and considers the future of PCMH adoption.

“The increased adoption of the medical home model moves us further toward achieving a higher-performing health care system overall,” says Gregory Burke, director of Innovation Strategies at UHF.

How New York State PCMH Works

While we are excited about the growth in PCMHs, you might be wondering: What’s the big deal? How do PCMHs improve care?

PCMHs focus on care coordination, population health, evidence-based guidelines and effective use of health IT to meet patients’ needs. The PCMH model helps practices:

• Improve patient access to care and patient experience.
• Perform comprehensive health assessments to identify patients’ needs.
• Deliver better preventive care such as immunizations and cancer screenings.
• Prioritize comprehensive care management to keep chronic conditions under control.
• Coordinate with other clinicians involved in patient care and close referral loops to improve continuity and avoid gaps.
• Identify patients who require recommended interventions and patients who need medication monitoring.

NCQA helps put the structure, systems and processes in place to be an effective NYS PCMH. The NYS PCMH program offers practices first-year Recognition and transformation assistance at no cost. NYSDOH also provides enhanced reimbursement opportunities for practices that participate in Recognition—one more sign of the state’s commitment to quality primary care.

Learn more about the NYS PCMH program or how your practice can earn PCMH Recognition today!