A Collaborative Approach to Care Coordination: Maccabi case study

Individuals with serious mental illness often are unable to access consumer- and family-oriented community care, resulting in repeated hospitalizations, incarceration, and homelessness. The "medical home" concept was developed in primary care to provide accessible and accountable services for individuals with chronic medical conditions. Building on the work done in primary care, the authors propose a "mental health home." The model of care incorporates medical home characteristics, such as access to and coordination of services, integration of primary and preventive care, adoption of recovery orientation and evidence-based practices, and family and community outreach. Barriers to and strategies for implementation of mental health homes are discussed.

A New Kind of Homelessness for Individuals With Serious Mental Illness? The Need for a "Mental Health Home"

To determine the association between a widely used individual-level assessment of the medical home derived from parental perception and practice-level assessment of the medical home. Thirty parents at each of 6 Boston-area community health centers (CHCs) were administered the 19-question medical home measure of the 2011 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH). Each CHC was scored in accordance with the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) 2011 Patient-Centered Medical Home Standards and Guidelines. Bivariate analysis of the independent variables against the dependent variable (the NCQA measure, assessed as both a continuous score and a categorical tier) was performed. Linear and logistical regression models accounting for the cluster design were then constructed, with the NSCH measure as the primary predictor. Of the 180 parents, 52% had a medical home according to the NSCH criteria. Of the 6 CHCs, 5 were a medical home according to the NCQA Standards (2 at Tier 3, 3 at Tier 2). Regression modeling demonstrated nonsignificant associations between both the continuous and categorical (tier) NCQA scores and the NSCH assessment of the medical home, with a β of -2.80 (95% confidence interval, -7.75 to 13.35) and an adjusted odds ratio of 2.17 (95% confidence interval, 0.82 to 5.74), respectively. There was no significant association between the individual-level and practice-level assessments of the medical home. Given this discrepancy, our results suggest that we may need to temper our expectations that the medical home transformation currently being implemented at the practice level will lead to the child health and health care utilization outcomes extensively demonstrated in the literature.

This study explores the implementation experience of nine primary care practices becoming patient-centered medical homes (PCMH) as part of the New Hampshire Citizens Health Initiative Multi-Stakeholder Medical Home Pilot. The purpose of this study is to apply complex adaptive systems theory and relationship-centered organizations theory to explore how nine diverse primary care practices in New Hampshire implemented the PCMH model and to offer insights for how primary care practices can move from a structural PCMH to a relationship-centered PCMH. Eighty-three interviews were conducted with administrative and clinical staff at the nine pilot practices, payers, and conveners of the pilot between November and December 2011. The interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using both a priori and emergent themes. Although there is value in the structural components of the PCMH (e.g., disease registries), these structures are not enough. Becoming a relationship-centered PCMH requires attention to reflection, sensemaking, learning, and collaboration. This can be facilitated by settings aside time for communication and relationship building through structured meetings about PCMH components as well as the implementation process itself. Moreover, team-based care offers a robust opportunity to move beyond the structures to focus on relationships and collaboration. (a) Recognize that PCMH implementation is not a linear process. (b) Implementing the PCMH from a structural perspective is not enough. Although the National Committee for Quality Assurance or other guidelines can offer guidance on the structural components of PCMH implementation, this should serve only as a starting point. (c) During implementation, set aside structured time for reflection and sensemaking. (d) Use team-based care as a cornerstone of transformation. Reflect on team structures and also interactions of the team members. Taking the time to reflect will facilitate greater sensemaking and learning and will ultimately help foster a relationship-centered PCMH.

Background: The patient-centered medical home is a model for delivering primary care in the United States. Primary care clinicians and their staffs require assistance in understanding the innovation and in applying it to practice. Purposes: The purpose of this article is to describe and to critique a continuing education program that is relevant to, and will become more common in, primary care. Methods: A multifaceted educational strategy prepared 20 primary care private practices to achieve National Committee for Quality Assurance Level 3 recognition as Patient-Centered Medical Homes. Results: Eighteen (90%) practices submitted an application to the National Committee for Quality Assurance. On the first submission attempt, 13 of 18 (72%) achieved Level 3 recognition and 5 (28%) achieved Level 1 recognition. Conclusion: An interactive multifaceted educational strategy can be successful in preparing primary care practices for Patient-Centered Medical Homes recognition, but the strategy may not ensure transformation. Future educational activities should consider an expanded outcomes framework and the evidence of effective continuing education to be more successful with recognition and transformation.

The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model holds promise for improving primary care delivery, but it has not been adequately tested in teaching settings. We implemented an intervention guided by PCMH principles at a safety-net teaching clinic with resident physician providers. Two similar clinics served as controls. Using a cross-sectional design, we measured the effect on patient and resident satisfaction using the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey and a validated teaching clinic survey, respectively. Both surveys were conducted at baseline and 1 year after the intervention. We also measured the effect on emergency department and hospital utilization. Following implementation of our intervention, the clinic’s score on the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s PCMH certification tool improved from 35 to 53 of 100 possible points, although our clinic did not achieve all must-pass elements to qualify as a PCMH. During the 1-year study period, 4676 patients were exposed to the intervention; 39.9% of these used at least 1 program component. Compared with baseline, patient-reported access and overall satisfaction improved to a greater extent in the intervention clinic, and the composite satisfaction rating increased from 48% to 65% in the intervention clinic vs from 50% to 59% in the control sites (P = .04). The improvements were particularly notable for questions relating to access. For example, satisfaction with urgent appointment scheduling increased from 12% to 53% in the intervention clinic vs from 14% to 18% in the control clinics (P < .001). Resident satisfaction also improved in the intervention clinic: the composite satisfaction score increased from 39% to 51% in the intervention clinic vs a decrease from 46% to 42% in the control clinics (P = .01). Emergency department utilization did not differ significantly between the intervention and control clinics, and hospitalizations increased from 26 to 27 visits per 1000 patients per month in the intervention clinic vs a decrease from 28 to 25 in the control clinics (P = .02). Our PCMH-guided intervention, which represented a modest but substantive step toward the PCMH vision, had favorable effects on patient and resident satisfaction at a safety-net teaching clinic but did not reduce emergency department or hospital utilization in the first year. Our experience may provide lessons for other teaching clinics in safety-net settings hoping to implement PCMH-guided reforms.

Patient-centered medical home (PCMH) has gained momentum as a model for primary-care health services reform. We conducted interviews at 14 primary care practices undergoing PCMH transformation in a large urban federally qualified health center in California and used grounded theory to identify common themes and patterns. We found clinics pursued a common sequence of changes in PCMH transformation: Clinics began with National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) level 3 recognition, adding care coordination staff, reorganizing data flow among teams, and integrating with a centralized quality improvement and accountability infrastructure. Next, they realigned to support continuity of care. Then, clinics improved access by adding urgent care, patient portals, or extending hours. Most then improved planning and management of patient visits. Only a handful worked explicitly on improving access with same day slots, scheduling processes, and test result communication. The clinics' changes align with specific NCQA PCMH standards but also include adding physicians and services, culture changes, and improved communication with patients. NCQA PCMH level 3 recognition is only the beginning of a continuous improvement process to become patient centered. Full PCMH transformation took time and effort and relied on a sequential approach, with an early focus on foundational changes that included use of a robust quality improvement strategy before changes to delivery of and access to care.

The Road Ahead

In a randomized clinical trial, Geriatric Resources for Assessment and Care of Elders (GRACE), a model of care that works in collaboration with primary care providers (PCPs) and patient-centered medical homes to provide home-based geriatric care management focusing on geriatric syndromes and psychosocial problems commonly found in older adults, improved care quality and reduced acute care use for high-risk, low-income older adults. To assess the effect of GRACE at a Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center (VAMC), veterans aged 65 and older from Marion County, Indiana, with PCPs from four of five VAMC clinics who were not on hospice or dialysis were enrolled in GRACE after discharge home from an acute hospitalization. After an initial home-based transition visit to GRACE enrollees, the GRACE team returned to conduct a geriatric assessment. Guided by 12 protocols and input from an interdisciplinary panel and the PCP, the GRACE team developed and implemented a veteran-centric care plan. Hospitalized veterans from the fifth clinic, who otherwise met enrollment criteria, served as a usual-care comparison group. Demographic, comorbidity, and usage data were drawn from VA databases. The GRACE and comparison groups were similar in age, sex, and burden of comorbidity, although predicted risk of 1-year mortality in GRACE veterans was higher. Even so, GRACE enrollment was associated with 7.1% fewer emergency department visits, 14.8% fewer 30-day readmissions, 37.9% fewer hospital admissions, and 28.5% fewer total bed days of care, saving the VAMC an estimated $200,000 per year after program costs during the study for the 179 veterans enrolled in GRACE. Having engaged, enthusiastic VA leadership and GRACE staff; aligning closely with the medical home; and accommodating patient acuity were among the important lessons learned during implementation.

To identify physician and practice characteristics that are markers of success for meaningful use of electronic health records (EHRs). American Medical Association survey, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) EHR Incentive, Pioneer Accountable Care Organization, and PECOS Programs, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT's Regional Extension Center Program, and National Committee for Quality Assurance Patient-centered Medical Home certification program. Retrospective analysis of 865,370 physicians' participation in CMS's EHR Incentive Program and progress to stage 1 Meaningful Use between 2011 and 2013. Physician specialty, age, practice size, geographic markers, delivery reform participation, and technical assistance receipt were predictive elements. Medicaid physicians were progressing more slowly to Meaningful Use than Medicare physicians: by 2013, 8 in 10 physicians registered with Medicare had achieved meaningful use, compared to one-third of Medicaid-registered physicians. The strongest predictors of meaningful use were technical assistance (79 percent more likely) and delivery reform participation (34 percent more likely). Continued outreach and technical assistance that demonstrates strong interactions between meaningful use of health IT and delivery reform may facilitate further adoption of both initiatives.

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BackgroundImplementation of evidence-based interventions often involves strategies to engage diverse populations while also attempting to maintain external validity. When using health IT tools to deliver patient-centered health messages, systems-level requirements are often at odds with ‘on-the ground’ tailoring approaches for patient-centered care or ensuring equity among linguistically diverse populations.MethodsWe conducted a fidelity and acceptability-focused evaluation of the STAR MAMA Program, a 5-month bilingual (English and Spanish) intervention for reducing diabetes risk factors among 181 post-partum women with recent gestational diabetes. The study’s purpose was to explore fidelity to pre-determined ‘core’ (e.g. systems integration) and ‘modifiable’ equity components (e.g. health coaching responsiveness, and variation by language) using an adapted implementation fidelity framework. Participant-level surveys, systems-level databases of message delivery, call completion, and coaching notes were included.Results96.6% of participants are Latina and 80.9% were born outside the US. Among those receiving the STAR MAMA intervention; 55 received the calls in Spanish (61%) and 35 English (39%). 90% (n = 81) completed ≥ one week. Initially, systems errors were common, and increased triggers for health coach call-backs. Although Spanish speakers had more triggers over the intervention period, the difference was not statistically significant. Of the calls triggering a health coach follow-up, attempts were made for 85.4% (n = 152) of the English call triggers and for 80.0% (n = 279) of the Spanish call triggers (NS). Of attempted calls, health coaching calls were complete for 55.6% (n = 85) of English-language call triggers and for 56.6% of Spanish-language call triggers (NS). Some differences in acceptability were noted by language, with Spanish-speakers reporting higher satisfaction with prevention content (p = < 0.01) and English-speakers reporting health coaches were less considerate of their time (p = 0.03).ConclusionsBy exploring fidelity by language-specific factors, we identified important differences in some but not all equity indicators, with early systems errors quicky remedied and high overall engagement and acceptability. Practice implications include: (1) establishing criteria for languge-equity in interventions, (2) planning for systems level errors so as to reduce their impact between language groups and over time; and (3) examining the impact of engagement with language-concordant interventions on outcomes, including acceptability.Trial Registration National Clinical Trials registration number: CT02240420 Registered September 15, 2014. ClinicalTrials.gov.

The Integrated Memory Care Clinic (IMCC) is a patient-centered medical home as defined by the National Committee for Quality Assurance directed by advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) caring for persons living with dementia (PLWD); physicians provide specialty consultation but do not direct care or care planning. The IMCC incorporates geriatric nursing, social work, and APRNs from neurology, gerontology, palliative care, and geriatric psychiatry. APRNs provide comprehensive, coordinated primary care for dementia, other chronic conditions, and minor acute illnesses. Partnering with PLWD and families and taking a palliative-oriented, dementia-informed medical home approach, the IMCC aims to reduce dementia burden. This study describes the first 12 months of IMCC's operation with 139 enrolled PLWD-caregiver dyads. All patients have a diagnosis of dementia or mild cognitive impairment; most have Alzheimer's disease (53.2%). Patients have an average of 5.8 medical conditions and 6.9 prescriptions; 38.1% have an advanced directive, a medical power of attorney, or a living will. Mean age is 78.6, 63.3% are female, and 30.9% are African American. Mean Montreal Cognitive Assessment score is 12.6. Most require assistance in activities of daily living. Many display neuropsychiatric symptoms. The most prevalent comorbidities are hypertension, dyslipidemia, and depression. The rate of ambulatory-sensitive hospitalizations declined from 6.7% in December 2015 to less than 1% in May 2016. Caregivers were highly satisfied. We observed nonsignificant improvements in neuropsychiatric symptom severity (p=.07), caregiver distress (p=.69), and caregiver competence (p=.18). IMCC is a novel care model for PLWD and their caregivers and may be a more sustainable model than traditional primary care for this growing vulnerable population. J Am Geriatr Soc 66:2401-2407, 2018.

BackgroundThe number of medical center–based farmers markets has increased in the past decade, but little is known about how such organizations contribute to the preventive health goals of the patient-centered medical home.Community ContextIn 2010, we started a seasonal farmers market at Penn State Hershey Medical Center to help support the institution’s commitment to the medical home.MethodsWe obtained descriptive data on the farmers market from hospital and market records and tracking information on the market’s Facebook and Twitter sites. We computed summary measures to characterize how the market has begun to meet the 6 standards of the 2011 National Committee for Quality Assurance’s report on the medical home.OutcomeDuring the 2010 and 2011 seasons, 146 medical center volunteers from 40 departments formed 23 interprofessional teams that spent an average of 551 volunteer hours per season at the market, providing health screenings (n = 695) and speaking to customers (n = 636) about preventive health. Fifty-five nonmedical community health partners provided 208 hours of service at the market alongside medical center staff. Market programming contributed to 5 regional preventive health partnerships and created opportunities for interprofessional mentoring, student leadership, data management, development of social media skills, and grant-writing experience. The market contributed to all 6 medical home standards outlined by the National Committee for Quality Assurance.InterpretationMedical center markets can support medical home standards. With systematic tracking of the health effects and integration with electronic medical health records, markets hold potential to contribute to comprehensive patient-centered care.

Patient-Centered Specialty Practice: Defining the Role of Specialists in Value-Based Health Care