HealthPartners Clinics recognized as patient-centered medical home

First large multispecialty group in the nation to receive recognition
May 7, 2009

MINNEAPOLIS, - HealthPartners announced today that its clinics* have been recognized as a Patient-Centered Medical Home by the National Committee for Quality Assurance Physician Practice Connections-Patient-Centered Medical Home^TM (PPC-PCMH) program. The Recognition distinguishes HealthPartners clinics for their systematic use of patient-centered, coordinated care.

NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations and recognizes physicians in key clinical areas.

"We're pleased to receive the highest level of Recognition by NCQA," said Beth Averbeck, M.D., HealthPartners associate medical director for primary care. "Our approach allows us to offer every patient coordinated care with proactive support systems for patients with chronic illnesses." Averbeck said HealthPartners data shows that its medical home has already demonstrated results; HealthPartners is a top performer in virtually every state and national quality reporting system.

This new approach to healthcare, called medical home, offers a home base where a patient can receive a comprehensive set of primary care health and medical services. Those services include more ongoing nurse support and follow-up, online services (including doctor visits), effective systems to link in specialty care and easy access to care and service.

There's been a national trend toward medical home as a solution to improving health care quality and curbing rising health care costs. NCQA standards for patient-centered medical home accreditation encompass medical home criteria from the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Physicians and the American Osteopathic Association. Recognized groups must show that they have:

• Advanced electronic communications with patients, including an interactive Web Site
• Use of data to show standards for patient access and communication
• Electronic charting tools to organize clinical information
• Use of data to identify important diagnoses and conditions in practice
• Adoption and implementation of evidence-based guidelines
• Web-based patient education for patient self-management support
• Electronic tracking of test results and identification of abnormal results
• Electronic referral tracking
• Clinical and service performance measurement, by physician or across the practice
• Performance reporting, by physician or across the practice

*Recognized Clinics include:

• HealthPartners Adult & Seniors Clinic
• HealthPartners RiverWay Andover Clinic
• HealthPartners Arden Hills Clinic
• HealthPartners RiverWay Anoka Clinic
• HealthPartners Apple Valley Clinic
• HealthPartners Bloomington Clinic
• HealthPartners Como Clinic
• HealthPartners Health Center for Women
• HealthPartners Inver Grove Heights Clinic
• HealthPartners North Suburban Roseville Clinic
• HealthPartners White Bear Lake Clinic
• HealthPartners West Clinic
• HealthPartners Woodbury Clinic

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About HealthPartners
HealthPartners is the largest consumer governed non-profit health care organization in the nation and is committed to improving the health of its members, patients and the community. Founded in 1957, HealthPartners (www.healthpartners.com) provides care and coverage to 1.25 million medical and dental members across Minnesota and western Wisconsin through a broad network of physicians and hospitals, including HealthPartners Clinics. Physicians and employees in over 50 locations are dedicated to providing patient-centered care that includes disease management and prevention, innovative inpatient and outpatient services, hospice, pharmacy, health improvement, research and medical education.

Contact: 952-883-5223