The Person-Centred Medical Home (PCMH) is an evidence-based, whole of practice system for providing person-centred care that is coordinated, team-based, accessible, safe, comprehensive and preventative. It is informed by Bodenheimer’s 10 building blocks of high performing primary care, with the desired outcomes of improving the experience of patients and care teams, and better patient outcomes for lower overall cost (the quadruple aim).
The Commonwealth’s Health Care Homes (HCH) model is a snapshot of this, which focuses on chronic disease only, essentially as a replacement for the current chronic care items. The advantage of this might be to fine-tune the concept in a bite-sized fashion, however the disadvantage is that the model works best in a whole of practice way.
Here at North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network (NWMPHN) we are focusing on the PCMH model and quality primary care, so even if the HCH trial falters we are still here to help you improve the quality of care at your practice.
Dr Jeannie Knapp is a practicing GP and practice owner working in Richmond, Melbourne. Jeannie is the clinical lead for the Health Care Homes Readiness Project, a NWMPHN initiative. To comment, request a practice visit or for any questions to Jeannie about the Health Care Home readiness strategy at NWMPHN, please email: healthcarehomes@nwmphn.org.au.
