AHIP Board Of Directors Releases Principles On Patient-Centered Medical Home

Main Category: Health Insurance / Medical Insurance
Article Date: 27 Jun 2008 - 0:00 PDT

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A patient-centered medical home can provide patients with more personalized and coordinated health care, according to new principles adopted by America's Health Insurance Plans' (AHIP) Board of Directors. The Board outlined core principles integral to the development of a patient-centered medical home that can ensure greater continuity, comprehensiveness, coordination, and access to health care services.

"Greater collaboration between patients and clinicians can help meet the individual needs of patients while improving the quality of care being delivered," said Karen Ignagni, President and CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP).

The patient-centered medical home would replace episodic care with a sustained relationship between patient and physician. This approach redesigns the care delivery model by assessing the level of illness or disease based on sound medical evidence; promoting coordination of care; and improving accountability for outcomes, patient experience, and utilization of services.

While there is current market experimentation going on to determine the appropriate structure for a medical home, the AHIP Board collaborated with other stakeholders to advance a model that focuses on the following:

- Practice redesign so care is delivered in response to a patient's needs and preferences;
- Clear criteria for patient participation;
- Adoption of health information technology to facilitate evidence-based integrated care;
- Accountability;
- Engaging and educating consumers and improving personal responsibility and behavior;
- Structuring payment to align with measurable improvements; and
- Pilot testing before moving forward with reformed payment models or practice redesign.

Click here to view the full Board statement.

http://www.ahip.org

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