Many Americans, even those with comprehensive insurance, feel “medically homeless” when they try to navigate our nation's healthcare system. When they seek advice or treatment, they enter a system that financially rewards “patchwork” independent episodes of acute care instead of continuous, coordinated care. While there is no single cure for the current fragmentation of our healthcare system, there are other models that may help.
One model that offers a potentially powerful alternative for improving patient satisfaction and care is the “medical home.[1]” At its core, the medical home is a concept that rests on a foundation of a long-term, trusted relationship between the patient and his or her healthcare provider.
When patients have access to a medical home, they and their families are assured 24/7 access to medical consultation, access to a provider who has respect for their cultural and religious beliefs, and comprehensive coordination of their care through various healthcare professionals and community services.
The Association of American Medical Colleges or AAMC believes the medical home is an idea whose time has come because it holds great promise for improving the health of all Americans, and the satisfaction of patients and providers alike.[2] In order to make the medical home a reality, however, more research needs to be done about how this model of care would operate, and the most effective ways to implement it.
To that end, the AAMC has begun to work with the nation's medical schools and teaching hospitals, to better identify how the medical home model can be adopted by the teaching physicians and hospitals who are preparing the next generation of providers to deliver quality care.
As we engage in a national dialogue about ways to improve our healthcare system, it's critical that we equip every American with the resources they need to find their way to the very best medical advice and treatment. The AAMC believes there's no place like the “medical home” as their first stop to quality, patient-centered care.
That's my opinion. I'm Dr. Darrell Kirch, President and CEO of the Association of American Medical Colleges.
Footnotes
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References
- 1.Sia C, Tonniges TF, Osterhus E, Taba S. History of the medical home concept. Pediatrics. 2004;113:1473–1478. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 2.Association of American Medical Colleges. The medical home position statement. March 2008. Available at: http://www.aamc.org/newsroom/pressrel/2008/medicalhome.pdf Accessed October 14, 2008.
