From Primary Care Practices to Patient Centered Medical Homes
Vermont’s primary care practices are supported by the Blueprint in the process of achieving and maintaining recognition as Patient Centered Medical Homes under the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) standards. A full list of all Blueprint Patient Centered Medical Homes in Vermont can be found here.
National Standards Ensure High-Quality, Patient-Friendly Health Care
NCQA standards promote excellence in 6 areas:
- Patient-Centered Access
- Team-Based Care
- Population Health Management
- Care Management and Support
- Care Coordination and Transitions
- Performance Measurement and Quality Improvement
To learn more about what it means to be a Patient-Centered Medical Home, download the “NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home” brochure from the NCQA website.
Vermont Insurers Fund Practice Transformation
Vermont insurers (Medicaid, Medicare, major commercial insurers, and some self-insured businesses) support practice transformation by providing a base per-member per-month (PMPM) payment to each Blueprint Medical Home. Patient Centered Medical Home owners tell the Blueprint that this payment is essential to their ability to maintain patient-centered practices and NCQA recognition.
In 2016 a new, performance-based payment was added to the base payment. The performance payment promotes improvement in health care resource utilization and health care quality.
Blueprint Practice Facilitators Guide Quality Improvement
The Blueprint’s Practice Facilitators are professional coaches trained in health care quality improvement and change management. The Blueprint pairs each practice with a Practice Facilitator who guides them through the NCQA recognition process. This relationship continues post-recognition, with Practice Facilitators becoming trusted team members who lead ongoing quality improvement activities.