Patient-Centered Medical Homes (PCMH) and Related Topics

Included as a CMS initiative and state priority, CMS is focused on

• Increasing access to medical homes and primary care for CYSHCN.

Related topics are state-priority-derived and regionally focused, and include:

• Increasing awareness of youth to adult transitioning, with a special focus on healthcare transitioning.
  • Youth Transitions 
• Increasing awareness of and support for family and youth engagement and their unique voice.

Increasing access to medical homes and primary care for children with special health care needs is one of the priorities of Children’s Medical Services (CMS) Title V. Research shows that Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) is the standard of care for all children and youth, particularly those with special needs. The PCMH model transforms how primary care is organized and delivered and focuses on quality care and improved outcomes. CMS supports a PCMH approach to care to assist in providing comprehensive, high-quality primary care that is accessible, family centered, continuous, coordinated, compassionate, and culturally effective. The PCMH model of care ensures continuity of care, in that the same primary care clinician cares for the child from infancy through young adulthood, providing assistance and support to transition to adult care. Additional information on the process of  transition to adult health care can be found in the Health Care Transition site. The comprehensive, team-based approach for preventive, primary, and specialty care for the child and family improves accessibility, coordination of care, and quality outcomes.

Children’s Medical Services has partnered with the University of Central Florida’s Advancing Resources to Change Healthcare UCF-HealthARCH to:

• Provide pediatric providers with hands-on support from National Committee on Quality Assurance NCQA PCMH Certified Content Experts (CCEs) on Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) practice transformation and recognition.
• Provide on-going technical assistance and sustainability activities for practices having recently gone through practice transformation.
• If you are a provider practice and interested in PCMH transformation, please click the link below to complete the Readiness Assessment and to receive a follow up from HealthARCH.http://ucf.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1EK8VFUQG5rBgTc
• Sample HealthARCH Letter of Acceptance and Terms of Agreement (Letter).

Patient Centered Medical Home On-Line Resources

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)

Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs

National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA)

National Resource Center for Patient/Family-Centered Medical Home

Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative (PCPCC)

Click here for additional Resources and Links.