Oak Park, IL - In 2011, PCC Community Wellness Center (PCC) committed to providing a new model of care, patient-centered care, at its health centers. Following guidelines set by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), five PCC health centers were recognized as Patient-Centered Medical Homes (PCMH) in August 2013. This fall, PCC Austin and Lake Street Family Health Centers further enhanced their services in order to obtain Level 3 recognition by NCQA.

Previously recognized as Level 2 PCMH facilities, PCC Austin and Lake Street Family Health Centers were committed to obtaining Level 3 recognition as part of a demonstration project of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. With Level 3 recognition, the NCQA has determined that the two facilities are providing enhanced access to care, self-care, and community support to patients. In addition, they are tracking and coordinating care between providers while improving overall performance.

Achieving Level 3 recognition was a collaborative effort by all PCC employees. Specifically, clinic employees now serve in teams comprised of primary care providers, medical assistants, registered nurses, and patient care representatives that are dedicated to a specific group of patients. This model of care, team-based care, ensures that patients are served by one consistent care team and promotes continuity and consistency. The team-based care initiative will ultimately increase clinic efficiency and patient satisfaction while improving clinical results. Employee satisfaction has also steadily increased as team-based care has been implemented. In addition to team-based care, PCC has also implemented care coordination and electronic health records systems to better serve PCC patients.

At this time, PCC South and West Town Family Health Centers are designated as PCMH Level 2 while PCC Salud Family Health Center is PCMH Level 1. PCC aims to achieve PCMH level 1 at two additional health centers by the end of 2014. PCMH recognition complements PCC’s Primary Care Medical Home certification from the Joint Commission. This designation is an organization-wide designation valid for three years. This certification also focuses on care coordination, access to care, and how effectively primary care clinicians and interdisciplinary teams work in partnership with each patient.