Medical Home Program
What is a Medical Home?
It is not a building, house, or hospital, but rather an approach to providing comprehensive primary care. A medical home is defined as primary care that is accessible, continuous, comprehensive, family centered, coordinated, compassionate, and culturally effective. In a medical home, a pediatric clinician works in partnership with the family/patient to assure that all of the medical and non-medical needs of the patient are met. Through this partnership, the pediatric clinician can help the family/patient access and coordinate specialty care, educational services, out-of-home care, family support, and other public and private community services that are important to the overall health of the child/youth and family.
What are the Benefits of a Medical Home?
- Increased patient and family satisfaction
- Establishment of a forum for problem solving
- Improved coordination of care
- Enhanced efficiency for children and families
- Efficient use of limited resources
- Increased professional satisfaction
- Increased wellness resulting from comprehensive care
We can help you
- Connect with Support Groups
- Complete DDS Applications
- Communicate with your Child’s School Team
- Collaborate with your Pediatrician
- Refer to Specialists and Therapists for your Child
- Make Parent to Parent Connections
- Work with your Child’s Behavioral Team
- Connect with a Visiting Nurse Agency
- Help you Get Organized
- Find Financial Resources throughout the Area
- Individualize a Care Plan for your Child
- Assist with Transition Planning and Resources
To learn more, please view our brochure and flyer below.
Medical Home Initiative Support Center Brochure
What is Care Coordination?
It is a process that links children with special health care needs and their families to services and resources in a coordinated effort to maximize the potential of the children and provide them with optimal health care. Care coordination often is complicated because there is no single entry point to multiple systems of care, and complex criteria determine the availability of funding and services among public and private payers. Economic and socio-cultural barriers to coordination of care exist and affect families and health care professionals. In their important role of providing a medical home for all children, primary care pediatricians have a vital role in the process of care coordination, in concert with the family.
–AAP, Committee on Children with Disabilities. Care Coordination: Integrating Health and Related Systems of Care for Children with Special Health Care Needs. Pediatrics. 1999.
What are the Benefits of Care Coordination?
- A shared plan of care is developed by the physician, child or youth, and family and is shared with other providers, agencies, and organizations involved with the care of the patient.
- Care among multiple providers is coordinated through the medical home.
- A central record or database containing all pertinent medical information, including hospitalizations and specialty care, is maintained at the practice. The record is accessible, but confidentiality is preserved.
- The medical home physician shares information among the child or youth, family, and consultant and provides specific reason for referral.
- Families are linked to family support groups, parent-to-parent groups, and other family resources.
- When a child or youth is referred for a consultation or additional care, the medical physician assists the child, youth, and family in communicating clinical issues.
- The medical home physician evaluates and interprets the consultant’s recommendations for the child or youth and family and, in consultation with them and subspecialists, implements recommendations that are indicated and appropriate.
- The shared plan of care is coordinated with educational and other community organizations.
For more Information, call toll-free 1-866-517-4388.