WASHINGTON Four organizations representing more than 350,000 primary care physicians today released joint "Guidelines for Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition and Accreditation Programs." The new guidelines created by the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Physicians, and the American Osteopathic Association build on the Joint Principles of the Patient-Centered Medical Home, which the four groups developed and adopted in February 2007.
As the PCMH model of health care gains prominence, a number of organizations are developing or offering medical home recognition or accreditation programs. The new guidelines aim to ensure some standardization among those accreditation programs while encouraging a focus on the key elements of the PCMH.
"If we are to know the value of a patient-centered medical home's accreditation, we need to be assured the accrediting program itself has met appropriate standards," said Roland Goertz, MD, MBA, FAAFP president of the AAFP. "These guidelines help define those standards for accreditation programs."
Three nonprofit groups the National Committee for Quality Assurance, the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, and URAC (formerly known as the Utilization Review Accreditation Commission) already have established recognition, accreditation, or other relevant programs. One other nonprofit organization The Joint Commission plans to have a program in place by the middle of this year.
The AAFP, AAP, ACP and AOA developed the 13 guidelines to describe important elements considered essential for effective PCMH recognition programs. The guidelines say that programs should attempt to assess all of the primary care domains outlined by the Institute of Medicine comprehensiveness, coordination, continuity, accessibility, and patient engagement and experience. According to the guidelines, all PCMH recognition or accredita
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| Contact: David Kinsman dkinsman@acponline.org 202-261-4554 American College of Physicians Source:Eurekalert |