Three BAMC clinics earn national recognition as Patient Centered Medical Homes

By Robert Shields, Brooke Army Medical Center Public AffairsFebruary 16, 2017

NCQA Westover Medical Home
Kathryn Joyce, nurse practitioner, examines Irene Fuentez at Westover Medical Home. Westover Medical Home earned the National Committee for Quality Assurance's highest level of recognition as a Patient Centered Medical Home, achieved Level 3 certific... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Feb. 15, 2017) -- Three additional Brooke Army Medical Center clinics have earned the National Committee for Quality Assurance's highest level of recognition as Patient Centered Medical Homes.

The NCQA recognized Westover Medical Home, CPT Jennifer M. Moreno clinic and the Taylor Burk clinic as Level 3 PCMHs. Westover Medical Home, the newest Army Medical Home, achieved Level 3 certification on its initial NCQA survey after opening its doors 16 months ago.

"Our success in achieving a level 3 certification on our initial NCQA survey stemmed directly from our outstanding staff whom have helped build our practice from the ground up," said Dr. Darii Lane, chief, Westover Medical Home. "The staff has been integral in developing and maintaining the processes to ensure we give our patients the best and most comprehensive care possible."

Dr. Susan Moon, chief, Taylor Burk Clinic, also credits teamwork as key to the clinic's successful NCQA level 3 recognition.

"We also built upon best practices that were in place from our NCQA survey in 2013," said Moon. "Without the staff being willing to adjust to new processes and working together, NCQA would not be possible."

Dr. Markham Brown, chief, Moreno Clinic Family Medicine, attributes the success to one of the hallmarks of Patient Centered Medical Home--"Team Based Care."

"If we are to attribute our success to anything it is having an entire team of providers, nurses, schedulers, and front desk personnel who all work together to provide quality health for our patients," said Brown. "As we move away from providers being in the entire spotlight and having other personnel play a greater role with the care of the patient, everything improves."

Brown added that just like the quote "it takes a village to care for a child" it takes a village to provide exceptional primary care.

These three recent clinic accreditations give a total of seven clinics the Level 3 NCQA highest level of recognition.

NCQA -- a private, nonprofit organization -- recognizes clinics that emphasize care coordination and communication. It's the most widely used way to transform primary care practices into medical homes, which aim to improve patients' and providers' experience of care, noted PCMH Project Manager Calvin Williams, Clinical Operations Division.

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