Medical Homes Frequently Asked Questions
Question: What is a Medical Home?
Answer: A Medical Home is an approach to providing primary care for children, youth and adults. The personal physician has the responsibility for the ongoing care of the patient as well as providing and managing the patient’s health care needs with other professionals. This includes care for all stages of life; acute care; chronic care; preventive services; and end-of-life care.
The care involves a partnership between the patient, the physician, the hospital, family members, and other professionals. Quality and safety are key. Medical practices that promote medical homes, provide patients with options such as open scheduling, expanded hours and arrangements for communication between patients, the physician, the practice team and office staff.
For further information, see What is a Medical Home? from the American Academy of Pediatrics, March 2008.
Question: Where did the concept of a Medical Home come from?
Answer: The American Academy of Pediatrics introduced the medical home concept in 1967, initially referring to a central location for archiving a child’s medical record. In 2002, the academy expanded its policy statement on the medical home concept to include several operational characteristics: accessible, continuous, comprehensive, family-centered, coordinated, compassionate, and culturally effective care.
The American Academy of Family Physicians and the American College of Physicians have developed their own models for improving patient care called the “medical home” or “advanced medical home”.
Question: What are the joint principles of a Medical Home?
Answer: The following joint principles describe the characteristics that patient centered medical homes should have:
Personal physician; Physician directed medical practice; Whole person orientation; Coordinated/Integrated Care; Quality and safety; Enhanced access to care; and Adequate payment. Detailed information on each principle is found in Joint Principles of the Patient Centered Medical Home.
Question: How does a Medical Home work?
Answer: In a medical home, the traditional doctor's office is transformed into a central area to organize and coordinate a patient's health care, based on that patient's needs and priorities. At the base is an ongoing partnership between the patient and a specially trained primary care physician. Included are e-mail communications; same-day appointments; quality ratings; pricing information; and online tools to help patients manage their health information, review medical findings and make informed decisions. Patients receive reminders about appointments and screenings, as well as other support to help them and their families manage chronic conditions. The primary care physician helps to assemble a team when specialists and other health care providers are needed. The patient decides who is on their team, and the primary care physician makes sure they are working together to meet all of the patient's needs.
Question: Are there examples of current, Medical Home programs?
Answer: Yes. For a state-by-state listing of medical home programs, see the American Academy of Pediatrics Medical Home Initiatives & Resources by State and Medical Home Mentorship Program.
Question: What about reimbursement issues?
Answer:
The American Academy of Family Physicians provides information on physician compensation at their website titled Patient Centered Medical Home. The academy also has further information in Medical Home: An Idea Whose Time Has Come ... Again.
Credits
Last revised 05/01/2008
