A one-year evaluation at Group Health Cooperative is the first to demonstrate the measurable benefit to both patients and staff when a primary care practice adopts a patient-centered medical home model. This model gives patients more time with doctors, more preventive care, and improved collaboration among caregivers. The American Journal of Managed Care published the results, which include significantly fewer emergency room visits and hospitalizations.
The study compared a random sample of the 9,200 patients at Group Health's medical home to a control group. At one year, patients at the medical home reported:
- 29 percent fewer emergency room visits, 11 percent fewer hospitalizations, and 6 percent fewer in-person visits
- Higher ratings on six scales of patient experience
- A 94 percent increase in e-mail use, 12 percent more phone consultations, and more group visits and self-management support workshops
- That they received better health care, including needed screening tests, management of their chronic illnesses, and monitoring of their medications
In addition, only 10 percent of the medical home doctors, nurses, and staff felt burned out or emotionally exhausted versus 30 percent of controls.
Much national attention is focused on the medical home model as a way to improve health outcomes, control costs, and help solve the primary care shortage. Currently, 25 medical home projects are active in 17 states. Group Health is expanding the medical home model from its Factoria Medical Center in Bellevue to all 26 of its medical centers in Washington state and North Idaho.
