JAMA commentary by UCSF and UCB researchers addresses one model for health system reform
The patient-centered medical home—known as PCMH—is a prominent model of health care delivery system reform that answers the call for high-quality care at lower overall cost, writes Diane Rittenhouse, MD, MPH, of UCSF in the May 20, 2009 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association.
In a “commentary” article, Rittenhouse and co-author Stephen M. Shortell, PhD, MPH, MBA, of UC Berkeley, examine the role of PCMH and the unique challenges for this model. Founded on the cornerstones of primary care, patient-centered care, new-model practice, and payment reform, they note, PCMH is a model that has the potential to increase access and quality and to decrease the rate in growth of health care costs over time.
Rittenhouse is a faculty member in the UCSF Department of Family and Community Medicine and the Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies.