The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) announced that 15 Methodist Family Health Centers have received recognition from the NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home 2011 (PCMH 2011) program for using evidence-based, patient-centered processes that focus on highly coordinated care and long-term relationships. The NCQA also recognized 35 Methodist primary care physicians for their roles in achieving high standards of care.
“Building strong, healthy relationships between patients and primary care physicians is the foundation for what we’re doing with our Methodist Family Health Centers,” says Melissa Gerdes, MD, ABFM, AAFP, vice president and chief medical officer for outpatient services and accountable care organization strategy at Methodist Health System. “This recognition is a validation of the importance we’ve placed on providing quality patient-centered care at convenient locations.”
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 can improve patients’ and providers’ reported experiences of care.
The NCQA PCMH Recognition program identifies practices that promote partnerships between individual patients and their personal clinicians, rather than treating patient care as the sum of episodic office visits. Each patient’s care is delivered by clinician-led care teams that provide all 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,” says NCQA President Margaret E. O’ Kane. “PCMH Recognition shows that Methodist Family Health Centers have 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, Methodist Family Health Centers demonstrated the ability to meet the program’s key elements, embodying characteristics of the medical home. Standards align 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.
Methodist Family Health Centers 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 patients’ 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.
Methodist health centers and physicians receiving NCQA PCMH recognition include:
- Methodist Family Health Center – Cedar Hill East
- Jaclyn Ganacias, MD
- Shyama Gandhi, MD
- Brian Jones, MD
- Methodist Family Health Center – Central Grand Prairie
- Kathleen Humphries, DO
- Oscar De Leon, MD
- Olga Jones, MD
- Methodist Family Health Center – Kessler Park
- Laquita Shepherd, MD
- Darrell Thigpen, MD
- Methodist Family Health Center – Lake Prairie
- Gerald George, DO
- Brandy Robinson, MD
- Methodist Family Health Center – Midlothian
- Donna Shannon, MD
- Mary Welp, MD
- Jeffrey McDaniel, MD
- Methodist Family Health Center – South Arlington
- Minh Le, MD
- Melissa Gerdes, MD
- Methodist Family Health Center – South Grand Prairie
- Eric Beadle, MD
- Pamela Santone, DO
- Michael Sims, MD
- Methodist Breckinridge Family Medical Group
- Methodist Charlton Medical Group
- Jill Waggoner, MD
- Robert Suter, DO
- Methodist First Aid Family Care
- Methodist Mansfield Medical Group
- Nancy Georgekutty, MD
- Amber Hyde, MD
- John Thurmond, MD
- Methodist Richardson Family Medical Group
- Thomas Jeffrey, MD
- Margaret Bailey, DO
- Lamyen Tran, MD
- Methodist Richardson Health Center
- Alanna Silverstein, MD
- Shakil Ahmed, MD
- Methodist Richardson Medical Group
- Methodist Uptown Medical Group
- Patricia Allamon, MD
- Callie Hollenshead, MD
- Individual recognition
- Perry Beckstrom, DO
- Darin Charles, MD
About Methodist Health System
Guided by the founding principles of life, learning, and compassion, Methodist Health System uses some of the latest medical technology and research to bring quality health care to individuals and families throughout North Texas. Methodist Dallas Medical Center, Methodist Charlton Medical Center, Methodist Mansfield Medical Center, Methodist Richardson Medical Center, and Methodist Family Health Centers are part of the nonprofit Methodist Health System, which is affiliated by covenant with the North Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church. Additional information is available at www.methodisthealthsystem.org. Connect with them through Facebook, YouTube and Twitter at www.methodisthealthsystem.org/socialmedia.
About Methodist Family Health Centers and Medical Groups
Methodist Family Health Centers and Medical Groups are owned and operated by MedHealth and are staffed by independently practicing physicians who are employees of MedHealth. The physicians and staff who provide services at these sites are not employees or agents of Methodist Health System.
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. To find clinicians and their practices that have been recognized by the NCQA PCMH 2011 Recognition program, visit http://recognition.ncqa.org.
###