New study helps standardize medical home model

Geisinger researcher says study provides a framework for further medical home research

July 20, 2009, DANVILLE, Pa. – With “medical home” a prominent care model in the nation’s sweeping healthcare overhaul, a new study co-authored by Geisinger Center for Health Research investigator Nirav Shah, M.D., attempts to standardize definitions to help consumers, providers, policymakers and payers evaluate the model’s quality and value. The study appears in the July issue of Medical Care.

While medical homes have been around for decades, their design and format vary widely. The study explains that the organizations such as the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), the Commonwealth Fund and the American Academy of Family Practitioners, among others, have identified groups of eligibility criteria that are present in their respective medical home models. These include a regular doctor or source of care, enhanced access to a provider by telephone on weekends or evenings, and coordinated care appointments.

“As medical homes develop, healthcare providers and payers are seeking ways to match the special health needs that suit them best,” explained Nirav Shah, M.D. investigator, Geisinger Center for Health Research. “This study provides a framework to tackle the many unanswered medical home questions and ultimately lead to the identifying key metrics.”
 
According to Shah, health services researchers seeking to evaluate the medical home model are faced with a number of challenges which include: measuring effectiveness and patient centeredness, determining electronic health record requirements and ideal practice configurations as well as the appropriate mix of resource, interventions and services.

The study is an example of Geisinger Center for Health Research’s ongoing comparative effectiveness research. This research focuses on figuring out how well medical programs and preventive actions work in real clinical settings. The federal government is calling for comparative effectiveness research as a way to base medicine – and healthcare reform – on the best available evidence with the goal of ensuring that people receive the most efficient healthcare available.
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About Geisinger Health System
Founded in 1915, Geisinger Health System (Danville, PA) is one of the nation’s largest integrated health services organizations.  Serving more than two million residents throughout central and northeastern Pennsylvania, the physician-led organization is at the forefront of the country's rapidly emerging electronic health records movement. Geisinger is comprised of two medical center campuses, three hospitals, a 740-member group practice, a not-for-profit health insurance company and the Henry Hood Center for Health Research—dedicated to creating innovative new models for patient care, satisfaction and clinical outcomes. For more information, visit www.geisinger.org.