Two Saint Francis Hospital Medical Clinics Recertified with NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Saint Francis Hospital is proud to announce its Gengras Medical Clinic and Asylum Hill Family Medicine Clinic have been recertified by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), earning Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition. NCQA’s Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Recognition program is the most widely adopted PCMH evaluation program in the country. Both clinics have been certified as PCMHs since 2018.

The Gengras Clinic provides adult primary and medical subspecialty care, while Asylum Hill Family Medicine provides care to adults, including obstetrics, and children. Both clinics provide care to individuals who may have barriers to accessing health services or are at risk of facing health disparities, whether economic, geographic, or social.

The patient-centered medical home is a model of care that puts patients at the forefront of care. PCMHs build better relationships between patients and their clinical care teams. Research shows that PCMHs improve quality and the patient experience, and increase staff satisfaction, while also reducing health care costs. Practices that earn recognition have made a commitment to continuous quality improvement and a patient-centered approach to care.

“We are so proud to once again have our clinics recognized as Patient-Centered Medical Homes,” said William Rabitaille, M.D., Chief of Primary Care at Trinity Health Of New England Medical Group, who oversees three safety net clinics and 10 primary care practices in the Hartford area. “Maintaining status as a Patient-Centered Medical Home requires a lot of work behind the scenes, and is a significant achievement, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important for us to provide a regular care team for our patients, so they are able to build relationships and maintain stability of care.”

The NCQU Patient-Centered Medical Home program reflects the input of the American College of Physicians (ACP), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and American Osteopathic Association (AOA), among others. It was developed to assess whether clinician practices are functioning as medical homes and recognize them for these efforts. The NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home standards emphasize the use of systematic, patient-centered, coordinated care that supports access, communication, and patient involvement.

“NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition raises the bar in defining high-quality care by emphasizing access, health information technology, and coordinated care focused on patients,” said NCQA President Margaret E. O’Kane. “Recognition shows that the Gengras Medical Clinic has the tools, systems, and resources to provide its patients with the right care, at the right time.”