CHC Earns Primary Care Medical Home Designation from The Joint Commission

CHC is the first health care organizations in Connecticut
and one of the first in the nation to receive dual PCMH designations 

CHC has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval™ for certification as a Primary Care Medical Home (PCMH). The special designation for accredited ambulatory care organizations recognizes CHC’s dedication to continuous compliance with The Joint Commission’s state-of-the-art standards. This is the second national designation that CHC has received for its work in meeting the high standards of a patient centered primary care organization. In April 2011, CHC was recognized as a Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) with their highest recognition (Level 3) for each of its practices.

CHC is the first and only health care organization in Connecticut, and one of the first in the country to be designated as a PCMH by both the Joint Commission and the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).

CHC underwent a rigorous unannounced Joint Commission on-site survey of the entire agency in January 2012. A team of Joint Commission expert surveyors evaluated the organization for compliance with standards related to how effectively the primary care clinician and the interdisciplinary team work in partnership with the patient to provide comprehensive, coordinated and patient-centered care. The Joint Commission’s PCMH option, which was launched in July 2011, helps accredited ambulatory care organizations ensure their patients receive timely and appropriate treatment, increase patient satisfaction, improve patient outcomes and reduce the overall costs to the health care system.

“Organizations that pursue the PCMH option from The Joint Commission are demonstrating the highest commitment to delivering primary care in a comprehensive, coordinated and accessible model,” says Michael Kulczycki, executive director, Ambulatory Care Accreditation Program, The Joint Commission. “I commend Community Health Center, Inc. for successfully achieving this distinction and for its dedication to continually improving patient care.”

“This distinction recognizes the hard work being done across our agency to ensure that every patient receives care that is patient centered, evidence based, and of the highest quality, regardless of social standing or insurance status” said Dr. Daren Anderson, Vice President and Chief Quality Officer of CHC.

The PCMH is a system of care that places the patient at the center of the model. Care is coordinated and efficient and patients have ready access to a primary care team that uses technology and evidence based guidelines to improve patient outcomes.  This care model also places more emphasis on patient empowerment and education, ensuring that patients have the tools they need to manage their conditions.

“This model of care benefits everyone,” said Dr. Nwando Olayiwola, CHC’s Chief Medical Officer. “Patients are more satisfied with their experiences, the patient-provider relationship is strengthened, and providers see their patients taking an active role in managing their health.”

“This recognition reflects our ongoing efforts to deliver an advanced level of coordinated care,” said Mark Masselli, President and CEO of Community Health Center, Inc. “We have always provided team-based care and built strong relationships with patients. But through improvements and technology-enhanced innovations that enable us to deliver timely, accessible, comprehensive, culturally competent care, we have built a medical home that empowers patients and improves health outcomes.”

This accreditation complements the Ambulatory Care Accreditation Program and is consistent with the new federal health care reform efforts to improve health outcomes and the coordination, quality and efficiency of health care services. It is designed to combine the improvements in quality of care and patient safety achieved through accreditation with the opportunity for increased reimbursement from third party payers when the additional requirements of a PCMH are met and the designation is awarded.