When it comes to community health centers (CHCs) you might hear a lot about them being patient-centered. This describes how CHCs address their patients and provide care. While it might seem obvious to put patients first, it is becoming all too common for other medical facilities to put physicians or income first. That’s why CHCs in Colorado have made the commitment to always provide patient-centered care.
One of the ways CHCs in Colorado are proving their commitment to the patient is by meeting the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) initiative standards set forth by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). To gain PCMH recognition from NCQA, CHCs have to meet a list of specific criteria.
In 2011, NCQA bumped up their standards to be even more stringent. To meet these newer standards, CHCs need to show that they organize care around patients, and that medical teams work together to coordinate and track care for an individual over time. They also need to show that patients receive excellent access to providers in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner. Furthermore, patients receive care managed through state-of-the-art electronic health records which also means that providers are better able to provide appropriate care when an individual needs it.
It may seem simple, but meeting all of the criteria set forth by NCQA is no easy task. That’s why it is such a great accomplishment that in October 2011 High Plains Community Health Center, with six clinic sites in and around Lamar, Colorado, achieved recognition by the NCQA as a Level III PCMH based on the stringent 2011 standards. This accomplishment followed the recognition that they received in February 2011 based on 2009 PCMH standards.
Way to go High Plains!
If you’re interested in joining one of the medical teams at High Plains or any of Colorado’s other 16 CHCs, check out the CHAMPS Job Board for the newest job listings in community health.
