Two Vidant Health clinics earn patient-centered medical home status | Eastern North Carolina Now

For Immediate Release:

    GREENVILLE     Two Vidant Health ambulatory clinics have earned the prestigious recognition of being added to the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Patient-Centered Medical Home 2011 Program, an innovative program for improving primary care.

    The NCQA recognized Vidant Family Medicine - Wallace and Vidant Internal Medicine -Edenton as patient-centered medical home models that pro-actively organize care around patients, work in teams and coordinate and track care over time.

    The NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) 2011 standards emphasize the use of systematic, patient-centered, coordinated care that supports access, communication and patient involvement.

    The patient-centered medical home model facilitates partnerships between individual patients and their personal physicians, and when appropriate, the patient's family. Health care providers use registries, information technology and other means to assure patients get the necessary care when and where they need and want it in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner.

    The NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home 2011 program reflects the input of the American College of Physicians, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Osteopathic Association and others in extension of the Physician Practice Connections Program. It was developed to assess whether physician practices are functioning as medical homes and recognizes them for these efforts.

    Dr. Debra Thompson, senior administrator of clinical integration-quality for Vidant Medical Group, said that over the past year, both clinic teams worked diligently to transform their practices from the traditional care model to a Level 3 patient-centered medical home, the highest level of medical home recognition from NCQA.

    "We engaged patients and families on this journey and see the positive impact of collaboration on patient outcomes," Thompson said. "I am proud of the clinic staff for embracing the medical home model and continuing their work to improve the care provided to patients and families."

    Dr. Joseph Pye, associate medical director with Vidant Family Medicine - Edenton, said attaining the PCMH designation is a testament to the commitment that doctors, nurses and administrative staff have to patient care excellence.

    "I applaud their achievements," Dr. Pye said. "The patient-centered medical home works to support improving not only how we schedule, treat, and follow up with patients, but also how we help people understand and participate in their medical care. It's a way back to more personal, considerate health care, and this is what matters to my patients. I look forward to seeing more PCMH practices popping up across the Vidant Health region in the coming years."

    Dr. Mott Blair, medical director with Vidant Family Medicine - Wallace, said, "Our practice team sought to move forward with a health care delivery model for the 21st century. We found that moving forward with PCMH certification helped us embrace practice change that embodied a new model of care that was both team based and patient centered. We have already seen the positive benefits in the health of our patients."

    "The NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home is a model of 21st century primary care that combines access, teamwork and technology to deliver quality care and improve health," said NCQA President Margaret E. O'Kane. "NCQA's PCMH 2011 recognition shows that Vidant Family Medicine - Wallace and Vidant Internal Medicine - Edenton have tools, systems and resources to provide their patients with the right care at the right time."

    NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA is committed to providing health care quality information for consumers, purchasers, health care providers and researchers.


    Contact: Barbara Dunn, Vidant Health Strategic Development, (252)847-7599.

    Vidant Health, a mission-driven, not-for-profit corporation, owns, leases or has a majority membership interest in nine eastern North Carolina hospitals and has a management agreement with one other. The health system includes Albemarle Health, Vidant Beaufort Hospital, Vidant Bertie Hospital, Vidant Chowan Hospital, Vidant Duplin Hospital, Vidant Edgecombe Hospital, The Outer Banks Hospital, Vidant Medical Center, Vidant Pungo Hospital, Vidant Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, Vidant Home Health and Hospice, Vidant Wellness Centers, Vidant Medical Group and is affiliated with the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. On the web at www.vidanthealth.com.