Palmetto Health Family Medicine Center/ University of South Carolina School of Medicine Department of Family and Preventive Medicine is the first primary care practice in South Carolina to be recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a Level–III Patient–Centered Medical Home (PCMH)—the highest possible designation.

The NCQA’s Patient- Centered Medical Home is a health care setting that emphasizes partnerships between individual patients and their personal physicians. The quality–focused model replaces acute illness care with care based on prevention, care coordination for chronic diseases, and a long term–healing relationship with a health care team centered on the needs of the patient and their family.

NCQA recognizes practices that meet this designation nationally at three levels of activity and demonstrated outcomes. Primary care practices that receive a Level–III designation, like the Palmetto Health Family Medicine Center, must go through a rigorous assessment and review process.

“We are so proud of this accomplishment that validates our commitment to providing the highest level of care possible for our patients,” said Richard A. Hoppmann, M.D., dean of the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. “Moving to the medical home model of patient care has proven to be beneficial for our patients because they receive better, more coordinated care; and for us, it means a more efficient, cost–effective method to operate the practice.”

Ellis Knight, M.D., senior vice president of ambulatory services at Palmetto Health adds, “This model of care can transform primary care in this community into a system that is more efficient in delivering quality patient care.”

The PCMH model is coordinated by a team, led by a physician, utilizing the latest in information technology and health information exchange. With the patient at the center of this approach, technology and electronic data allow physicians to track a patient’s history including lab tests and medications, which reduces costs, avoids duplication of tests/exams, and encourages proactive planning for both prevention and chronic disease care.

Establishing a medical home for patients in the PCMH model emphasizes a more efficient appointment process and enhanced communication between patients, physicians and staff.

Through the implementation of a variety of quality improvement methods including involving front line staff and patients in decision making and practice improvement efforts, the practice has seen increased patient, provider and staff satisfaction. As a training site for medical students and residents, the Family Medicine Center also is involved in teaching the next generation of physicians about this model of care.

Elizabeth “Libby” Baxley, M.D., chair of the department of Family and Preventive Medicine, is encouraged by what this designation brings to patients. She says, “This helps us to eliminate the fragmented care of the traditional model and make patient care more streamlined and personal. Working in an environment where decisions are focused on enhancing quality outcomes and the patient’s experience is very rewarding. It reenergizes the practice setting for all involved. Having a team of health professionals who encourage and coach patients to become more proactively involved in their own healthcare can only lead to improved health outcomes for our population.”