Phoebe Primary Care at Northwest has received Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Recognition from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) for using evidence-based, patient-centered processes that focus on highly coordinated care and long-term, participative relationships.  The clinic earned Level 3 recognition, the highest level.

“Our goal has always been to provide the best care to our patients,” said William Fricks, MD, Phoebe Family Medicine Residency.  “Becoming PCMH certified has allowed us to take significant steps toward redesigning our practice to provide a more proactive and comprehensive approach in caring for our patients.  This is not about reaching an end goal, but it is a commitment to continuous improvement,” Fricks added. 

The NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home is a model of primary care that combines teamwork and information technology to improve care, improve patients’ experience of care and reduce costs.  Medical homes foster ongoing partnerships between patients and their personal clinicians, instead of approaching care as the sum of episodic office visits.  Each patient’s care is overseen by clinician-led care teams that coordinate treatment across the healthcare system.  Research shows that medical homes can lead to higher quality and lower costs and can improve patient and provider reported experiences of care.

“NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition raises the bar in defining high-quality care by emphasizing access, health information technology and coordinated care focused on patients,” said NCQA President Margaret E. O’Kane.  “Recognition shows that Phoebe Primary Care at Northwest has the tools, systems and resources to provide its patients with the right care, at the right time.”

To earn recognition, which is valid for three years, Phoebe Primary Care at Northwest demonstrated the ability to meet the program’s key elements, embodying characteristics of the medical home.  “This recognition confirms Phoebe’s commitment to putting our patients first,” said Michael Busman, MD, Medical Director, Phoebe Physicians.  “We always want to provide top quality healthcare to all of our patients and continue to strive to improve our healthcare delivery system.” 

NCQA standards aligned with the joint principles of the Patient-Centered Medical Home established with the American College of Physicians, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Osteopathic Association.

Phoebe Primary Care at Northwest is committed to providing high-quality, compassionate care to southwest Georgians in need of primary care.  The clinic is also home to the Phoebe Family Medicine Residency.  Faculty members work closely with residents during all three years of their residency training as they get valuable hands-on experience working as family medicine physicians. 

“Our mission is to provide our residents with professional knowledge, technical skills and personal and organizational interchange which will enable them to practice superior medicine and enhance their medical careers in southwest Georgia,” Dr. Fricks said.