PCPCC summit to discuss the national implications for patient centered medical home

Medical Home Consumer Resources and Demonstration Project reports unveiled at Washington, DC meeting

National policy to change the shape of health care will be the center of discussion among the national's advocates of a primary care-based model poised to transform health care delivery. The Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative (PCPCC) Third Annual Summit will feature a keynote address from Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-Pa.) concerning the national implications for the patient centered medical home (PCMH), a fundamentally improved model for providing health care. Close to 500 top thought leaders and advocates for the PCMH will convene Oct. 22 at the Washington Convention Center for the Summit.

The Summit falls during National Primary Care Week, an annual event that highlights the importance of primary care to medical students and brings health care professionals together to discuss the impact of primary care. Across the nation, medical students will focus attention on the failure of the health care system to provide high quality health care to all individuals and on the tools the medical community can use to address inequalities in care delivery. During the PCPCC Summit, a panel discussion will focus on the needs for training the workforce in the PCMH model of care, highlighting current educational programs and training modules that are in development and addressing the challenges of cultivating a PCMH workforce pipeline.

Elements of the PCMH are front and center in every health care proposal on the Hill. The PCMH connects a patient with a primary care provider to offer superb access to continuous, comprehensive, coordinated care for acute needs as well as for prevention and wellness services. Evaluations of demonstrations of the model show that it improves patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes. It also lowers health care costs by improving care coordination and communication between primary care physicians and their patients.

The Summit will include a panel discussion spotlighting the role of the PCMH in health reform. Speakers on this panel are National Economic Council Special Assistant to the President Robert Kocher, MD; Stephen Cha, professional staff majority, House Energy & Commerce Committee; Ree Sailors, program director, health division, Center for Best Practices, National Governors Association; Ahaviah Glaser, American Association for Retired Persons; and Deborah Trautman, PhD, Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellow, Speaker of the House, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi.

The PCPCC will unveil two white papers at the Summit designed to advance the medical home model. Across the nation, dozens of patient centered medical homes are already organizing or operating at the local, regional and state levels. Proof in Practice: A compilation of patient centered medical home pilot and demonstration projects reports the progress of pilots and initiatives, providing descriptions and details of how they are structured and what they are achieving. To preorder a copy, go to>

Consumer engagement and collaboration in care are vital components for PCMH success. A Collaborative Partnership: Resources to help consumers thrive in the medical home presents resources for consumer engagement developed by the PCPCC and partner organizations, as well as industry resources and the latest data on how PCMH demonstration programs are working to connect with consumers. To pre-order a copy, go to>

"The evidence is clear supporting the medical home as the pathway to improved quality and lower costs in health care," said Edwina Rogers, executive director of the PCPCC. "These hands-on resources and the high-level discussion that will take place at the Summit help extend the reach of the PCMH. Our goal is to see pilot programs become springboards for a nationwide movement that will transform health care for all Americans."