Will Medical Homes Really Work?

In an age when health care expenses are growing exponentially, companies and healthcare organizations alike are examining every possible way in which to save money, while preserving quality care.  One interesting concept that is being adopted in both private and public sectors is this idea of establishing medical homes for patients.  The idea behind this concept is that a patient will be assigned to a team of healthcare providers that will coordinate their care.  The team may consist of a physician, physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner, nurses, and technicians.  Though this is a concept that is being adopted by many providers, the effect that it will have on the quality of care remains to be seen. 

Those in favor of this concept may make the argument that medical homes provide greater continuity of care for patients, due to streamlined care that is provided in a consistent environment.  Individuals in favor of medical homes argue the nostalgic effect of medical homes, where providers actually know the names of their patients, similar to days gone by when doctors still made house calls.  However, the argument could also be made that medical homes limit the patient’s ability to select providers, forcing them to receive care from members of their medical home, rather than having the flexibility to choose their own provider.  

In order to determine whether patients are receiving quality care in medical homes, the determination will have to be made as to whether quality is determined by the patient’s freedom of choice, or by the continuity of care provided.  Even TRICARE, the military health insurance program, has now adopted the concept of medical homes.  While it remains voluntary for some, other TRICARE sites have moved exclusively to medical homes (Miles, 2011).  Proponents of the medical home have said that this new model addresses the commonly held complaint that, especially for TRICARE recipients, patients rarely see the same provider, which forces them to oftentimes repeat the same basic information at each visit (Miles, 2011).  Whether medical homes will reduce healthcare expenditures, while maintaining the same quality of care, remains to be seen.  In the mean time, advocates of the medical home model are hopeful that improving the patient experience will in turn result in an improvement in the quality of care provided to patients.  

Reference: Miles, Donna. (2011, January 12). ‘Medical Home’ Concept Improves Care, Controls Cost. American Forces Press Service. Retrieved from: http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=62424