This blog post was written by our Communications Coordinator Erin Wisneski.

Research & Marketing Strategies (RMS) is assisting practices across the country to navigate the Physician Practice Connections Patient Centered Medical Home (PPC-PCMH) Recognition process, which ultimately demonstrates a practice’s commitment to quality care.

“A Patient Centered Medical Home practice is one which facilitates a true and engaging provider-patient commitment between the patient, his/her physician and family [when appropriate],” said Susan Maxsween, Manager of Healthcare Transformation Services at RMS. “This process cultivates an environment in which the patient receives the care they need while also promoting a working relationship between the physician [or practice] and patient to ensure delivery of comprehensive and well-integrated care.”

The PPC-PCMH, which has become a national benchmark, is a defined model of healthcare delivery that incorporates a coordinated approach through the primary care physician to providing comprehensive care to patients. Achieving this recognition enables practices to validate operational policies and processes supporting the patient centered medical home model of care.

To date, RMS Healthcare, a division of RMS, has assisted 30 practices in achieving PPC-PCMH recognition, 20 of which have received the highest level of recognition, a level 3. The remaining practices achieved a level 1 recognition, which was based upon their paper-based medical record system.

“RMS Healthcare guides practices through the detailed process of quantifying work flows and procedures to affirm quality processes and practices,” Maxsween said. “Achieving recognition is vital, as it demonstrates a practice’s commitment to excellence as well as better positions a practice for increased payer reimbursement for patient care.”

To achieve PPC-PCMH Recognition, Maxsween and her team engage practices to adopt and apply key attributes among their physician group. Those attributes include: collaboration and communication; adoption of evidence-based clinical care; fostering a culture of teamwork; enhanced information sharing, fostered accountability, innovations in technology and again, an overall commitment to excellence.

Beyond the intrinsic value of providing quality patient care, this PPC-PCMH Recognition becomes key to the practices as a business entity, as well. Recognized practices are not only able to demonstrate their commitment to their patients, but they are better positioned to take advantage of private and public incentive payments that reward PPC-PCMH Recognized practices. In addition, they are considered “Best in Class” among their peers, payers and patients in providing quality patient care.

“Overall practices have been very pleased with our level of professionalism, commitment to quality and passion for the work we do,” Maxsween said about helping clients to achieve PPC-PCMH Recognition. “Practices have said that they could not have done it without us and truly thank us for our commitment to be ‘Best in Class’ in assisting them to achieve recognition. Most importantly, practices feel an overwhelming level of accomplishment, validation of their quality of work and true demonstration to commitment to patient quality.”

RMS Healthcare is a leader in providing healthcare transformation services. The division begins by conducting a preliminary practice assessment to assess readiness to achieve PPC-PCMH Recognition. As an outcome of the assessment, if the practice decides to pursue recognition, RMS Healthcare will assist the practice in the journey to achieve recognition.

“We have demonstrated and proven success in our work,” Maxsween said. “We have assisted practices to achieve the highest level of recognition and have experience in working with various Electronic Medical Record (EMR) and Patient Registry platforms. We also have proven success in working with practices remotely, assisting practices to achieve recognition through teleconferencing and webinar sessions as well as face-to-face meetings.”

For more information about PPC-PCMH Recognition and healthcare transformation services, contact Susan Maxsween at SusanM@RMSresults.com or by calling (315) 635-9802.