Industry News
AHRQ releases U.S. Primary Care Workforce fact sheet
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has released the first two in a series of fact sheets on primary care. The Number of Practicing Primary Care Physicians in the U.S. reports that of the 624,434 physicians in the nation who spend the majority of their time in direct patient care, slightly less than one-third are specialists in primary care. The Number of Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants Practicing Primary Care in the U.S. estimates approximately 56,000 U.S. NPs and 30,000 PAs were practicing primary care. (AAFP News Now, AHRQ fact sheets)
PCPCC names Marcia Nielsen executive director
Marcia Nielsen, Ph.D., MPH, will become executive director of the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative on Jan. 2. She comes to the PCPCC from the University of Kansas Medical Center, where she serves as associate dean for health policy. She previously served as executive director of the Kansas Health Policy Authority. Nielsen played a pivotal role in support for public health, consumer advocacy and health care reform, as well as advancing the patient-centered medical home concept throughout Kansas. (Sacramento Bee )
Study suggests PCMH recognition doesn't mean immediate transformation
Recognition as a Level 3 patient-centered medical home does not necessarily mean transformative improvements have occurred, according to a paper in the November/December issue of Annals of Family Medicine. "As we move rapidly as a nation to encourage transformation of traditional primary care practices into patient-centered medical homes, this study adds to the reasons for avoiding unrealistic expectations about the rate of improvement in health or patient experience that will result," the authors conclude. (Annals of Family Medicine)
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Providers & Suppliers
CMS: States, territories need approval for HIX funding
The Department of Health and Human Services has announced that states and territories planning to establish a health insurance exchange (HIX) with the help of Affordable Care Act funding will be required to submit an application for approval by fall 2012, Health Data Management reports. They must demonstrate operational readiness through virtual and on-site reviews. The application will take an average of 211 hours to complete, according to HHS. (Health Data Management; HHS Notice)
Patients want more provider follow-up
Patients want doctors to check up on them and offer guidance between visits, according to a new report, "A Fragile Nation in Poor Health." Eighty-three percent of consumer survey respondents said they did not follow their doctors' treatment plans exactly as prescribed, but said they'd do a better job if doctors checked on them between visits, according to Healthcare Finance News. However, the report found only 25 percent of providers surveyed said it was their responsibility to monitor patients between visits. (Healthcare Finance News)
Report: Health sector is primed for fastest IT spending growth
Health IT decision makers anticipate growth in overall IT budgets and hiring, according to the latest CDW IT Monitor. Overall, the private IT sector remains stable, and the health care sector is expected to become the fastest-growing IT investment segment. The report finds 66 percent of health IT decision makers expect to increase their budgets over the next six months, particularly on IT hiring, hardware, software and solutions, Healthcare IT News reports. (Healthcare IT News)
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Transformation in Practice
CNBC contributor: Learn from the innovators
Innovation is alive and well, Dr. Jason Hwang writes on the CNBC website. Integrated health care organizations around the country focus on the patient and deliver better quality care at a lower cost. They may provide a blueprint for transforming the rest of the nation's health care system. He identifies three innovative integrated health systems: Group Health Cooperative in Washington;WhiteGlove Health in Texas, which focuses on mobile medical care; and New Mexico's Presbyterian Healthcare Services, which manages the nation's largest "Hospital at Home" program. (CNBC)
Survey: ACA has strong provider support
Health care leaders support the Affordable Care Act, and many think health care spending can be slowed by overhauling the delivery and payment systems, the Commonwealth Fund/Modern Healthcare Opinion Leaders survey finds. Eighty-nine percent of respondents said it is "very important" or "important" that federal and state policymakers continue to move forward implementing the ACA. Large majorities support implementation of specific provisions and initiatives, such as Medicaid expansion, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. (Modern Healthcare; Commonwealth Fund)
Retailers look to revamp primary care In-store medical clinics are looking to take on patients with chronic conditions. Primary care doctors fear this will further fragment care of these patients, but the clinic industry says it can help overworked doctors: Clinics could use nurse practitioners and physician assistants to do triage, particularly on the least complex patients. While studies have shown retail clinics provide similar--or even better--care for simple conditions, researchers haven't yet looked at their ability to do more complex monitoring, Kaiser Health News reports. (Kaiser Health News) |
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The Expanding PCMH: News and Updates
Priority Health and Cancer and Hematology Centers of West Michigan have joined forces to explore an innovative oncology patient-centered medical home. (News-Medical.Net)
Rhode Island's Blackstone Valley Community Health Care, which serves uninsured and under-insured patients, recently achieved NCQA Level 3 medical home recognition. BVCHC officials attribute their success largely to technology, which lets clinicians concentrate on their patients and work together. (Healthcare IT News)
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PCMH Multi-media
Webinar looks at collaboration and engagement in New Jersey
This webinar from the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative looks at how community collaboration, partnerships and engagement are promoting the patient-centered medical home and continuous transformation in care delivery in New Jersey. It features Kevin Maher from Horizon Healthcare Innovation and Dr. Bob Eidus, a board-certified family physician from Cranford Family Practice. (PCPCC)
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MarketVoices...quotes worth reading
"It's sad that the existing health care establishment has not figured out a way to make primary care affordable and accessible. We should not be surprised if someone outside of our world comes in and does it for us."
-- Jerry Avorn, a professor of medicine at Harvard, in Kaiser Health News
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PCPCC Update
Link to current events, reports and news from the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative (PCPCC)
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