FORT LEE, Va. (March 28, 2013) -- After nearly a year of implementation actions, Kenner Army Health Clinic has been recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance as a Level 3 Army Patient-Centered Medical Home.
The NCQA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. Since its founding in 1990, NCQA has been a central figure in driving health improvement throughout the health care system. As part of the recognition process, NCQA reviewed hundreds of documents submitted by Kenner Army Health Clinic staff that provided fact-based evidence showing how the clinic was conducting business as a true Medical Home.
"At Kenner, our future goals are to continue developing partnerships with our Soldiers and their families to ensure they get the best care and information possible on health, fitness, weight management, exercise and nutrition to produce patient-centered outcomes that improve the collective health of the Army Family," said Col. Thomas S. Bundt, commander, Kenner Army Health Clinic.
The NCQA measures the ability of medical facilities to provide quality health care through standardized, objective measurement guidelines.
NCQA requires recognized facilities to enhance access to care and patients' continuity with their provider teams, keep track of patient data to help manage patients' wellbeing, plan and manage care using evidence-based practices, provide self-care support and community resources, as well as track and coordinate tests, referrals and other care for patients. Finally, clinics have to show that they measure their performance and patients' feedback to continue improving the quality of care.
Here's what patients can expect from the Kenner Army Health Clinic Medical Home:
• A personal provider. Each patient has an ongoing relationship with a personal physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner who is trained to provide first contact, continuous and comprehensive care.
• Whole-person orientation. The personal provider is responsible for providing all of the patient's health care needs or for arranging care with other qualified professionals.
• Coordinated and integrated care. Each patient's care is coordinated and integrated across all elements of the health care system and the patient's community.
• Quality and safety focus. All members of the health care team are focused on ensuring high quality care in the medical home.
• Improved access. In the PCMH, enhanced access to care options are available through open scheduling, same-day appointments, secure messaging, and other innovative options for communication between patients, their personal physician and practice staff.
Army Medicine's goal is to have all of its primary care facilities in the continental United States and overseas achieve NCQA recognition and transform to the PCMH model of care no later than Oct. 1, 2014. The transition to this model of care is part of Army Medicine's overall shift from a health care system to a system for health.
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