The Catalyst Issue 22 | September 2015 | Page 20

LEADERSHIP to help shape healthcare delivery that meets families’ needs Front and CENTER All of the Baylor Scott & White Central Texas primary care clinics have been designated Patient-Centered Medical Homes (PCMH), an achievement that recognizes efforts to put patients at the center of their own healthcare, improve access to clinics, increase quality, and integrate healthcare services ith PCMH designation, patients at Baylor Scott & White’s Central Texas primary care clinics experience a team-based approach to care that puts them at the center of it all. A team of physicians, nurse practitioners or physician assistants, nurses, medical assistants, and clinic staff work closely with each patient to achieve optimum health through a coordinated effort. PCMH designation is awarded by the National Committee on Quality W 20 THE CATALYST September 15 | sw.org Assurance (NCQA), an entity that sets nationwide standards for quality care delivery. All primary care clinics at Baylor Scott & White Health have achieved this distinction. As new primary care clinics open up, many in the Austin/Round Rock region, they will pursue recognition as well. “The most important part of being a PCMH is the partnership between the patient and the primary care provider. They work together not only when a person is sick, but also when a person is healthy, or managing a chronic disease,” says Angie Hochhalter, PhD, vice president for patient-centered care redesign and leader of the recognition initiative at Baylor Scott & White Health – Central Texas. “A patientcentered medical home is a place where you and your team are partnering to keep an eye on your overall health,” she says. Expanded hours, same-day appointments, partnerships with urgent care centers, enhanced communications,