A new study released by the Commonwealth Fund shows that medical homes can reduce hospitalizations and total healthcare costs.
The study, published Wednesday in Health Affairs, analyzed first-year results from a pilot of the medical home model at the Geisinger Health System in Pennsylvania. The study showed Geisinger reduced hospital admissions by 20 percent and saved 7 percent in total medical costs.
According to CWF, the patient-centered medical home is a way of delivering primary care that includes around-the-clock access to primary and specialty care, as well as physician and patient access to electronic health records.
"These findings point to the potential for innovative and integrated delivery systems to improve healthcare quality," said Geisinger President and CEO Glenn Steele, MD, a co-author of the study. "When hospitals, specialists and primary care practices work together, with the support of quality improvement and innovation units and information technology systems, they gain the efficiencies and focus needed to deliver high-quality care."
In related news, CWF, Qualis Health and the MacColl Institute for Healthcare Innovation announced Tuesday they will launch an initiative to transform 50 primary care safety net clinics into patient-centered medical homes. CWF will take applications until November 3 to grant four regional coordinating centers up to $500,000 over four years to help transform 12 to 15 safety net clinics per region.
The regional coordinating centers will also partner with safety net providers and community stakeholders to advance the medical home in Medicaid and pursue other policy reform efforts in their states, CWF officials said.
Do you think the medical home model is a good one? Send your comments to Diana Manos at diana.manos@medtechpublishing.com.