PCOM Healthcare Centers earn national recognition for patient-centered care
June 1, 2015WASHINGTON, DC — The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) today announced that all four
Philadelphia-based healthcare centers of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
have received NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Recognition for using evidence-based,
patient-centered processes that focus on highly coordinated care and long‐term, participative
relationships.
The NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home is a model of primary care that combines teamwork
and information technology to improve care, improve patients’ experience of care and
reduce costs. Medical homes foster ongoing partnerships between patients and their
personal clinicians, instead of approaching care as the sum of episodic office visits.
Each patient’s care is overseen by clinician-led care teams that coordinate treatment
across the health care system. Research shows that medical homes can lead to higher
quality and lower costs, and can improve patient and provider reported experiences
of care.
“With this recognition, we are able to show our commitment to making primary care
more focused on meeting the needs of our patients,” explained Harry Morris, DO '78,
MPH, professor and chair, family medicine. “This is practicing medicine beyond the
doctor’s office. It’s the right thing to do as primary care providers, and it allows
us to provide an even higher caliber of training to our fourth-year students who rotate
throughout our healthcare centers.”
“NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition raises the bar in defining high-quality
care by emphasizing access, health information technology and coordinated care focused
on patients,” said NCQA President Margaret E. O’Kane. “Recognition shows that PCOM’s
healthcare centers have the tools, systems and resources to provide its patients with
the right care, at the right time.”
To earn recognition, which is valid for three years, PCOM’s healthcare centers demonstrated
the ability to meet the program’s key elements, embodying characteristics of the medical
home. NCQA standards aligned 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.
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’s Web site (ncqa.org) contains information to help consumers,
employers and others make more informed health care choices.
About Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Founded in 1899, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) has trained thousands
of highly competent, caring physicians, health practitioners and behavioral scientists
who practice a “whole person” approach to care—treating people, not just symptoms.
PCOM operates three campuses (PCOM, PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia) and offers doctoral degrees in clinical psychology, educational psychology, osteopathic
medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy and school psychology, and graduate degrees in
applied behavior analysis, applied positive psychology, biomedical sciences, forensic
medicine, medical laboratory science, mental health counseling, non profit leadership
and population health management, organizational development and leadership, physician
assistant studies, school psychology, and public health management and administration.
PCOM students learn the importance of health promotion, research, education and service
to the community. Through its community-based Healthcare Centers, PCOM provides care
to medically underserved populations. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 215-871-6100.
For more information, contact:
Daniel McCunney
Associate Director, News and Media Relations
Email: danielmc1@pcom.edu
Office: 215-871-6304 | Cell:
267-449-1360