March 26, 2012 -- Healthcare clinics across Oregon that are recognized as “primary care homes” can now apply to receive additional Medicaid funding to support the comprehensive, coordinated and patient-centered care they offer patients and communities.
Across the state, more than 90 clinics have been recognized as official patient-centered primary care homes. Recognized primary care homes offer a team-based approach to care focused on keeping people healthy. At its heart, this model of care fosters strong relationships with patients and their families to better treat the whole person. Health clinics reduce costs and improve care by catching problems earlier and focusing on prevention, wellness and community-based management of chronic conditions.
Primary care homes are at the center of Oregon’s healthcare transformation efforts as they work to fulfill the need for coordinated, preventive care. Expanding the availability of recognized primary care homes will provide better care now and strengthen the primary care networks as coordinated care organizations emerge.
The funds are available to recognized clinics that provide services to Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid) patients with certain chronic conditions such as diabetes, asthma and serious mental health conditions. This allows clinics to provide services that traditionally have not been offered, allowing them more flexibility to focus on prevention and care coordination to improve health outcomes.
For example, recognized clinics could use the additional dollars to hire a nutritionist to help patients with diabetes improve their health through dietary changes. They also could help patients find services in their community – such as group educational classes or support networks – that would help them manage their chronic conditions.
“Patient-centered care is fundamental to improving the health of Oregonians,” says Jeanene Smith, M.D., director of the Oregon Health Authority’s Office of Health Policy and Research. “By supporting clinics that focus on prevention and management of chronic conditions, we can reach our ultimate goal of better health and better care, at lower costs.”
Additional information, including the primary care home criteria and online application is available online at www.primarycarehome.oregon.gov.
