New web-based tool guide practices to become patient-centered medical home

The American College of Physicians (ACP) is offering a new, web-based tool to help guide practices through the process of becoming a patient-centered medical home (PCMH). The ACP Practice Solutions' Medical Home Builder, which can be used for both a major transformation into a PCMH or to help practices making small-scale quality improvement changes, is available to individuals, group practices, PCMH demonstration projects, academic medical centers and training programs.

"This is exactly the sort of resource that our practices need," said Joseph W. Stubbs, MD, FACP, president of ACP. "While many groups have been talking at the theoretical level about the importance of patient-centered care, this is a how-to guide about how your practice can achieve it."

The new web tool provides affordable, accessible, on-line guidance for practices that is tailored for the user based on responses to the ACP Practice Biopsy - a set of questions organized into seven different modules:

• patient-centered care and communication;
• access and scheduling;
• organization of practice;
• care coordination and transitions in care;
• use of technology;
• population management; and,
• quality and performance improvement.

A practice can focus on any module, in any order, without needing to complete the entire program. Each module includes an introduction to the topic and background reading material written for all members of the practice team. Once a practice completes the Practice Biopsy, the Medical Home Builder generates a color-coded report to help identify areas that may need attention and highlights specific resources for each of those areas. These resources include tools such as customizable templates for office policies and chart forms, multi-media presentations, and informative guides in a variety of formats. Users may either focus on the resources presented to them, or use a search function to find material on a specific topic.

Initial funding to develop the Medical Home Builder was provided through unrestricted educational grants from United Health Foundation and Pfizer, Inc.

"Care provided in the structure of a patient-centered medical home is the kind of care doctors want to be able to provide their patients," continued Dr. Stubbs. "Giving them an accurate assessment of where they stand in doing so is an invaluable resource."

ACP will be conducting free live online demonstrations of the MHB throughout the fall. Demonstrations will include a full explanation of the product and the chance to ask questions. Links for the demonstration webinars, additional information about the MHB, a video tour, and information about obtaining a license are available on the ACP website at: http://www.acponline.org/running_practice/pcmh/help.htm.