The Path To Better Health Care

A New Concept: The Patient-Centered Medical Home

"Patient-centered" means that you, the patient, are the most important person in the health care system. You are at the center of your health care. "Medical home" is an approach to providing total health care, where you join a team that includes health care professionals, your pharmacists, trusted friends or family members (if you wish), and—most importantly—you. There has been a great deal of discussion around the idea of patient engagement—of consumers becoming more active partners in their own health and health care as opposed to simply being recipients of care.

Engagement starts with your goals. Healing and health maintenance are goal-oriented processes; but not all patients with a given condition have the same goals. Discussion, clarification and understanding of goals with your practitioners create the foundation for a long-term successful relationship. At the same time, establishing mutual expectations, and a process for reviewing progress against them forms the basis for shared accountability.

A Medical Home is not an institution or a nursing home, but a community of medical practitioners that offers coordinated, comprehensive primary care that is focused on making sure your health care needs are met. Your care is delivered by a team of professionals – doctors, nurses, health educators, pharmacists and physical therapists -- that puts you and your caregiver at the center of the team.

A Medical Home Team:

• Coordinates your care across settings, including specialists and hospital care. This helps to prevent duplicate tests and procedures, and errors that can occur when multiple providers are involved.
• Focuses on prevention care and disease management, to help you stay healthy and manage your conditions in partnership with your doctors.
• Knows you as a patient and provides care that accommodates your treatment preferences, life situation and cultural and language needs.
• Actively supports you in making decisions about your care
• Supports you or your caregivers in taking an active role in managing your health care.