(Howard, SD) – Horizon Health clinics in Aberdeen, Alcester, Elk Point, Fort Thompson, Howard, Huron, Plankinton and Yankton have reached quality care milestones to earn recognition by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Patient-Centered Medical Home Program for delivering high-quality, patient-centered care.
The PCMH is the most widely adopted medical home recognition in the United States with more than 10,000 practice sites and 50,000 clinicians earning the NCQA PCMH recognition annually. Research into methods used by health plans and doctors to provide care was used to create standards that improve the patient’s experience. Recognition by PCMH indicates a commitment by providers and staff to continuous improvement in patient-centered care.
Accreditation is a rigorous progress involving analysis of a health system’s structure, process, clinical quality and patient satisfaction. PCMH puts patients at the forefront of care and encourages the building of strong relationships between patients and their primary care providers. Research shows this creates increased staff and patient satisfaction and improved quality of the medical visit, while reducing health care costs.
“Horizon Health has as strong history of providing quality care above and beyond what is expected by our patients and communities,” said Misty Rudebusch, PA-C, Horizon’s chief medical officer. “We are pleased and proud of the accomplishments these clinics achieve on a daily, weekly and annual basis to help their patients live better lives today and in the future.”
The NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home program reflects the input of the American College of Physicians (ACP), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and American Osteopathic Association (AOA) and others.
“National recognition like this is a wonderful validation of the hard work our clinic teams do every day to bring greater health and wellness to the friends and family they serve in their local communities,” Horizon CEO Wade Erickson said. “Horizon is not just a health care organization – it’s a family. We have a long history of taking good care of our own and these achievements are an acknowledgment of that long-standing tradition of quality care.”
NCQA is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA’s Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) is the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care.