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Study Finds Success of PCMHs in Outpatient Settings, But Data Gaps Remain
The study, published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine found that patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs) saw slower growth in emergency department (ED) visits and lower payment per beneficiary. However, only 32% of PCMHs agreed to share their data, and those medical homes treated "healthier patients" who may have been less likely to need ED visits, the authors acknowledge.
Medicare patients being treated in patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs) had fewer
emergency department (
ED) visits than patients not cared for in a PCMH, according to a recent study of primary care practices, federally qualified health centers, and Medicare fee-for-service data.
In 2009 and 2010, Medicare patients from National Committee for Quality Assurance-recognized PCMHs experienced slower growth in both all-cause and ambulatory-care-sensitive condition ED visits per 100 beneficiaries than those from non-PCMH practices. "The rate of growth in all-cause and ambulatory-care-sensitive condition ED visits per 100 beneficiaries was 13 and 8 visits fewer for 2009 patient-centered medical homes and 12 and 7 visits fewer for 2010 PCMHs, respectively," reported Jesse M. Pines, MD, MBA, departments of emergency medicine and health policy at George Washington University in Washington D.C., and colleagues.
Link to the article on Medpage Today:
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