Patient-Centered Medical Home Information Model - 2010

Target Population: General

Summary: Primary care professional organizations, the National Center for Quality Assurance, and other entities establishing medical home programs have developed working definitions of the “patient-centered medical home” (PCMH). These definitions are based on many factors, including high-level joint principles, structural characteristics of medical practices, and adoption of particular technologies. However, a better framework for the definition of PCMH in functional terms is needed to help move the field forward. This could be accomplished by providing consumers, providers, and policymakers with first-person narrative descriptions of the interactions assumed in the medical home model, and by establishing a framework for building the information and communication infrastructure needed to scale the medical home concept operationally.

Westat is working with the American Academy of Family Physicians to develop a functional model to define the PCMH that would describe it in both narrative and technical terms through the interactions between and among PCMH stakeholders. The interactions to be described include those between and among: patients and consumers; providers; other members of the health care team; practice-specific or shared resources; specialists; hospitals; and community and national entities such as support organizations, purchasers, payers, and patient advocacy groups.

A comprehensive literature review will map patient interactions within the PCMH model. An expert panel representing various stakeholders will be convened to review the initial draft of the information model and provide input for its further development. Small working and focus groups consisting of patients, medical office staff, and providers will also be convened to further validate the model and ensure that it will be successful in a busy primary care practice. Finally, feedback from these groups will be consolidated to develop non-technical narrative and technical reports to describe the PCMH information model.

• Conduct a comprehensive literature review into the various interactions a patient has within a patient-centered medical home. (Achieved)
• Convene an expert panel to obtain key stakeholder input on development of the PCMH information model. (Ongoing)
• Convene working groups and focus groups for the purpose of model validation. (Upcoming)
• Develop non-technical narrative and technical reports to describe the PCMH information model. (Upcoming)

2010 Activities: The primary focus of activities has been on conducting the literature review, which preceded the development of the PCMH information model. The literature review is complete and will describe the various interactions that a patient has within the medical home. The preliminary development of the information model is underway. The expert panel has been identified and consists of 15 participants who represent various stakeholders, including patient advocates and providers. The group is working to schedule their first meeting, during which they will review the initial draft of the PCMH information model.

Preliminary Impact and Findings: There are no findings to report at this time.

Strategic Goal: Develop and disseminate health IT evidence and evidence-based tools to support patient-centered care, the coordination of care across transitions in care settings, and the use of electronic exchange of health information to improve quality of care.

Business Goal: Knowledge Creation