Physicians Practices First In State To Earn

‘Medical Homes’ Designation

DANBURY — In its ongoing efforts to advance quality health care, the Danbury Office of Physician Services, PC (DOPS), is pleased to announce that Primary Care of Southbury and Brookfield Family Medicine have been certified as “medical homes,” becoming the first health care delivery system in Connecticut to earn the designation.

The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) awards the “patient-centered medical home” designation to physician practices that meet strict criteria. Practices must “offer superior value” and “clearly demonstrate they have systems in place to meet nationally recognized standards for delivering high quality care.”

Both practices are part of DOPS, a large, multispecialty physician group that works closely with Danbury Hospital and its affiliates at Western Connecticut Healthcare.

“The medical home model offers an innovative approach to primary care that has the potential to transform the nation’s expensive and sometimes fragmented health care delivery system,” said John Murphy, MD, president and chief executive officer of Western Connecticut Healthcare. “This designation strategically positions Western Connecticut Healthcare and its physicians to meet the challenges that lie ahead as medical homes begin to play a more prominent role with health care reform.”

So what is a “patient-centered medial home” model? Imagine having one personal physician who works with a team that manages all of your and your family’s health care needs for life.

“It’s like the old-fashioned family doctor of decades ago, only now the physician is working with a multidisciplinary team that may include nurses, dietitians, therapist, pharmacists, and others,” said Rob Carr, MD, of Primary Care of Southbury. 

“Under the medical home model, a personal physician leads a team of health care professionals that collectively take responsibility for patient care throughout all stages of life from birth to end-of-life issues,” explained Dr Carr. “The team addresses all of the patient’s preventive and medical care needs and arranges for appropriate care with other qualified clinicians, when necessary.”

Studies show medical homes can improve access to care and patient outcomes, while at the same time reducing health care costs, said Robert Mascia, MD, of Brookfield Family Medicine.

“The medical home model represents a fundamental change from the way health care is being delivered today,” he said. “We want to engage patients in the decisionmaking process so they become more knowledgeable about their care.”

Among the benefits, medical homes:

*Strengthen the physician-patient relationship by replacing episodic care with coordinated, comprehensive care, and a long-term healing relationship.

*Helps patients navigate a complex medical delivery system by coordinating all aspects of care throughout the continuum. “Understanding the system can be overwhelming for patients,” said Dr Mascia.

*Focus on preventive care and proactively manage chronic conditions to avoid complications and multiple hospital admissions. “We don’t wait for patients to get sick before they see a physician,” said Dr Carr.

*Ensure patients receive care in the most appropriate setting. “Treating strep throat at a physician’s office costs a tenth of what it costs to treat the same condition in the Emergency Department,” said Dr Carr.

*Effective communication among caregivers and patients makes for smoother transitions when patients move from one setting (home, hospital, nursing home, outpatient center, physician office, visiting nurse) to another.

*Emphasize quality and safety by continuously monitoring performance to ensure patients receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care. “We can optimize care by standardizing elements of care across all patients,” said Dr Mascia.

The designation was awarded by the NCQA’s nationally acclaimed Physician Practice Connections-Patient Centered Medical Home Recognition Program.

NCQA launched the program with guidance from the American College of Physicians, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Osteopathic Association based on a set of strict criteria adopted in 2007.

According to Dr Carr, future plans include establishing medial homes at other DOPS practices throughout the region to better serve area residents. He also hopes medical homes will “bring many of those satisfying aspects about practicing primary care medicine to the forefront,” prompting medical school students to choose the specialty.

The nation, including Connecticut, faces a critical shortage of primary care physicians. “It’s a model for practicing medicine that can satisfy both patients and physicians.”