SVMC Primary Care Practices Recognized for Patient-Centered Care
 |
BENNINGTON, Vt. — Southwestern Vermont Medical Center's five primary care practices in Vermont—SVMC Deerfield Valley Campus in Wilmington, SVMC Internal Medicine in Bennington, SVMC Northshire Campus in Manchester, SVMC Pediatrics in Bennington and SVMC Pownal Campus in Pownal—have achieved recognition for providing personalized, effective and efficient primary care.
The medical practices have been re-designated as Patient Centered Medical Homes by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).
"To achieve this distinction takes enormous effort by teams of staff within each practice," said Dr. Trey Dobson, Southwestern Vermont Medical Center's chief medical officer and medical director of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Putnam Physicians. "We are so proud of our primary care practices for their drive to continually improve patient care in the ways necessary to earn recognition from the NCQA."
The primary care medical home program identifies practices that promote partnerships between individual patients and their personal clinicians. A team of doctors, nurses, and other allied health providers oversees each patient's care. The team ensures that care for all the patient's health needs is coordinated across the health care system.
To receive recognition, a practice must demonstrate its ability to meet six key standards of the Patient Centered Medical Home model, which was developed by the American College of Physicians, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Osteopathic Association. The areas include access to care, using tools to identify patients and their information; planning and managing patient care; providing self-care tools; tracking and coordinating care; and a system for measuring and improving performance. Each standard has several subsections. Practices must resubmit for consideration every year.
NCQA is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA is committed to providing health care quality information for consumers, purchasers, health care providers, and researchers.
Implementing the medical home model in Southwestern Vermont is supported by United Health Alliance through a grant from the Vermont Blueprint for health. United Health Alliance is a partnership between physicians and Southwestern Vermont Medical Center dedicated to improving medical care in the greater Bennington area.
Tags: SVMC,
