The Role of Outreach in the Patient Centered Medical Home

Because of escalating medical care costs and national health care reform, community health centers are receiving well-deserved praise and attention for their cost-effective and high-caliber health services. Community health centers are particularly well suited to adopt the Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model, a health delivery system which incorporates finely coordinated medical care that responds to the needs of the “whole person.” Patients from underserved and vulnerable populations can especially benefit from the personalized and detailed care found within the PCMH model. Community health workers, outreach workers, promotores de salud, and health educators are uniquely positioned to identify and respond to the various medical and social service needs of different populations in their area, which fuels a well-coordinated and successful PCMH. Please join HOP on May 26th, 2011 as we examine how outreach programs are integral to the PCMH team at your community health center.